Labour of Love
by rozisa
Summary: An AU of Miracle Day set after A Little Knowledge. Due to Miracle Day, Jack is mortal and Owen being connected to Jack may also be mortal. Mention of Mpreg.
1. Prologue

Author's Note: This is a sequel to my Avengers Crossover,_ A Little Knowledge_. This is an AU.

What you need to know in this story:

1. Ianto and Owen are alive.

2. Gwen has retired from Torchwood to be a full time mother to Anwen.

3. And Mickey and Martha operate the pawn shop that hides the new location for Torchwood.

That's the minimum. I don't own Torchwood. If I did, Ianto wouldn't have died.

xxxx

Grabbing Esther, Jack leaped out of the records building in time to save himself and the girl from the explosion. He was wet from the fountain that broke their fall. He also felt water fall from between his legs. Not good. He was only in his sixth month. The baby was immortal. He was the one in trouble. Male hips weren't designed for birthing babies. When he got pregnant, he took his immortality into consideration. He had his wrist strap, so he could get to Martha in time for an emergency C-section. After he saw that Esther was drinking the Retcon-laced water, he used his wrist band to go directly to Martha and Mickey's bedroom.

He didn't have time to look at his watch, but nighttime in American meant 5 hours earlier than Greenwich time. Thus, Martha and Mickey should be sleeping. The effects of the time vortex seemed worse than usual. Was that because he was mortal or did it have to do with him being in labour? He wasn't having contractions, yet. That was a good sign. Still, his water shouldn't have broken in only his sixth month. Too out of it to scream, he fell on Martha's sleeping body spooned against her husband. His first labour pain, out of it or not, he screamed.

Martha woke. "Oh my God." She tapped Mickey. "Jack's on our bed. He's wet between his legs. I think his water broke."

Mickey yawned. "That's nice, dear."

"This is bad. Very bad. While I'm rushing him to Torchwood, I have a job for you, love."

A job for Mickey. Jack's life was in Mickey Mouse's hands. Joy! After all these centuries, he was going to die giving birth to Ianto's son?


	2. Chapter 1

Author's Note: I've been in labour three times. The first time I used pain killers. I love Demerol. The other two times, I had natural childbirth - not my choice. The babies came too fast. So I know a bit about labour pains. Btw, I still don't own Torchwood.

xxxx

"Jack, now that Mickey is out of the room, what happened?" asked Martha.

Jack sat up then another contraction hit. Weren't they suppose to be further apart? He didn't scream this time. They weren't as bad as the pain of being blown across the Hub in tiny bits. Then he didn't have the apparatus necessary to scream, so he screamed mentally in what was left of his head. Therefore, there was pain worse than labour. Labour was a bit worse than being shot repeatedly for amusement, horror or both. Jack had been in that situation far too often. Martha only knew of the last time when the Master killed him over and over during the year that never was.

The pain was over for now. "I was trying to get rid of all the information on Torchwood since some hacker announced our presence over all the Earth's communication systems. I was locating a copy in FBI records under 456 when a suicide bomber tried to kill me."

"That doesn't explain the cut on your leg," said Martha.

"I got it jumping out a window," said Jack. "Everything was fine until I landed. Then my water broke."

"A friend of mine called me from a hospital," said Martha. "The morgues are empty. She asked me if I knew something since I used to work for UNIT."

"What did you tell her?" asked Jack.

"I told her I knew less than her," said Martha.

"Morph fields." Jack looked at the cut on his leg. Still there. He wasn't healing. He had assumed he was now mortal, but that cut on his leg was proof. "Everyone in the whole world stopped dying the same time that hacker posted the word _Torchwood_ everywhere."

"I would normally suggest we arrest labour since the longer we can keep the baby in-utero the better. But if the baby is immortal and you're not then the best bet would be C-section. Mickey is calling Ianto then Rhiannon."

So that was the list of names Mickey needed to call.

Martha explained. "We made arrangements with Rhiannon and Johnny if we needed to hide the baby from your enemies."

Jack nodded then another contraction hit.

"Breath through them," said Martha. "You've been through much worse pain. Rhiannon can pass the baby off as hers. She had two children and, with this immortality being a new thing, no one will question if she had a third child. Whoever is sending suicide bombers after you won't get Jeremy."

"Jeremiah," corrected Jack.

"Let's get you to Torchwood then I'll prep you for surgery," explained Martha. "Since the contractions are irregular, we should have time to fetch Owen and Uneek to assist. Do you want to go by van or wrist strap?"

"Van," said Jack in a soft voice.

"Can you walk or do you need a wheelchair?"

"Walk," said Jack. "My leg is only cut."

"You get another contraction; you lend on me and breath through. Didn't you and Lucia have Lamaze training or something with Alice?"

"No, she wanted pain killers."

"She must have been hurt in the line of duty many times," said Martha. "And she copped out of natural childbirth."

"Natural childbirth was part of the back to nature movement. And Lucia associated all that with the crazy PETA people. Lucia said she wanted to go to sleep and wake up with a baby in her arms. Her mother, a good Catholic woman, did that five times. Lucia wanted drugs."

"Ah," said Martha. "Let's start walking to the van."

xxxx

Owen decided to stay overnight at Flat Holm since Diane was away on business. In one of the patients' rooms, CNN International had been playing in the background. Some Danes bloke made the news for not dying. Claude Danes, no, that was the actor who played _The Invisible Man._ An "O" name, Olsen or Orson or something. Not Owen. Owen would have remembered hearing his own name on the telly. A slow news day. A girl in Devonshire was found buried alive - coughed up the dirt in her lungs; badly bruised but none the worse for wear. She walked off, refusing to go to hospital. Two people in the news for not dying. Odd. After looking at his paperwork and playing a few games on _Facebook_, he curled up on his sofa.

Finally, he went to sleep to be woken by someone grabbing him.

Still wiping the sleep from his eyes, Owen felt as it he was being pulled through a singularity through his navel. His stomach hurt too much for it to get left behind. A slender black man was holding him against him - Mickey. Was he using Jack's wrist strap time machine? If so where were they going? No arrived? Owen didn't want to open his eyes and hoped he was still dreaming.

When he felt solid ground under his feet, he opened his eyes then got on his hands and knees and vomited. Owen kept on vomiting until he was only bringing up dry heaves. As he stood up, he realized he was in the backroom of the pawn shop they were using as a surgery. This was one of the few moments that he wished he was still dead. Dead people don't spew. Jack was on the table and Martha and Uneek were staring at him.

Martha, finally, spoke. "Clean yourself up. Owen, I need you to monitor the anaesthesia. Do you think you can handle that?"

"Anaesthesia," repeated Owen.

"Scrub up," said Martha. "You need to be sterile. Jack is the mortal one and we are immortal. The rules of the universe or, at least, planet Earth have been reversed."

Owen was also probably mortal because he was connected to Jack's life force. Then Martha was the one who told him that Jack's life force had been animating him after Duroc left. She must want him to keep it secret because people could be listening in. Owen just nodded and used the hand sink to wash up.

"By the way, someone is trying to kill Jack," said Martha. "They're probably hoping at the moment that we will do the job for them. They could be watching our every move."

Owen thought as much. Sometimes, it pays to be paranoid.


	3. Chapter 2

Author's Note: Sorry the chapters are short but I like posting when the ideas are hot and my muse is excited.

xxxx

"Doctor, can I have a new anaesthesiologist?" Jack teased like that was going to happen with all the hospitals in the world faced with critical care patients that won't die. "I hate to be a pain, but I don't want him getting his germs in my face."

Owen was standing a bit more wobbly than he liked in the work shirt and dress pants he fell asleep on the sofa wearing. His shoes and belt were probably still lying on office floor near the sofa. So here he was in his shirt sleeves with stocking feet, washing the snot running down his nose from the phloem and mucus he coughed up after his stomach was beyond empty. Not the picture of the doctor anyone would want monitoring their vital signs during major surgery. Now that his face was washed, he could start scrubbing his hands.

"I vomited because your wrist band is such a great way to travel," said Owen.

"How else was Mickey going to get you off an island this early in the morning?" asked Jack.

"I warmed up and cooled down Tommy for years without him suffering any ill effects. Normal anaesthesia is child's play in comparison. You're in good hands." Owen continued to scrub his hands. "How are the patient's vitals?"

Martha explained that Jack was on two medications being administered by IV. One was a normal painkiller and the other was used to stop labour. His and the baby's vitals were good and labour wasn't progressing at the moment.

"Can we wait for the husband to arrive?" asked Owen.

"Ianto and Rhiannon are on their way," said Martha. "They should be here in a few minutes."

"Jack, you have nothing to worry about," said Owen. "Martha will be preforming the C-section. You trust her. According to the news, no one dies today. Your baby couldn't be in better hands."

Long after Mickey helped Owen with his scrubs, Ianto and Rhiannon, finally, arrived. Rhiannon stood by the door, but Ianto ran to Jack's side then kissed his cheek. He took Jack's hand. "I got here as quick as I could. How are you and the baby holding out?"

"Their vitals are good," said Owen.

"I was taking to Jack," said Ianto.

"I'm a bit sleepy from the drugs," said Jack. "But other than that, I'm good. I was worried you weren't going to be here for the birth of our son."

"Jackie, wild horses couldn't keep me away." Ianto continued to hold Jack's hand while with the other hand, he brushed a hair off of Jack's face. But mostly, he stood there, looking lovingly into Jack's sleepy eyes.

"You can hold his hand until he fells asleep," Owen explained. He was monitoring Jack's vitals, making it his job to keep Jack alive. "Then I'd like you to leave the room, so Martha and Uneek can do their jobs."

Uneek said, "Ianto, you can help me clean the baby."

Ianto said, "I would like that."

Owen put the mask over Jack's face. "Let's get this party started."

xxxx

Jack's vitals stayed good during the surgery. While Martha was closing up, Uneek and Ianto took Baby Jeremiah to another room to be washed and weighed. Jeremiah Harkness-Jones, at 0.98 kilograms, was crying loudly, letting everyone know he may be small but he had healthy mature lungs.

Owen froze and stored the placenta and cord. Jack's 51 century immune system might hold who knows how many medical discoveries. Jeremiah's stem cells alone were worth studying. That could wait for a later date. They had lost so much when the Hub blew up. Mickey and Martha had found a good many artefacts in the rumble, but everything in the freezers was destroyed.

Finally, Owen went over to see Ianto and Rhiannon, who were busy counting the baby's fingers and toes. The baby was active and had a good colour. Owen hadn't spent much time in the neonatal ward while he was studying to be a doctor; nevertheless, he didn't remember babies this small looking so healthy. He wouldn't say anything to Ianto or Jack, but Jeremiah reminded him a bit of a naked mole rat. The small wrinkled thing wasn't what Owen would call beautiful. However, Ianto and Rhiannon were smiling at it like it was the most beautiful creature in the world. To them, it probably was.

Uneek said, "Normally a baby this small would be placed in an incubator, but this immortality thing has every cell in our bodies teaming with its own life energy. Exploding with it. You don't need to worry about brain damage because his cry tells me his lungs are working, so his brain is getting the oxygen it needs."

"That's good?" asked Ianto.

"Very good," agreed Uneek. "I've just read up on childbirth and neonatal care since Martha told me she might need me to assist her. Working here as taught me so much. Rhiannon, Jack should have some bonding time before you take Jeremiah into hiding."

"Johnny isn't happy about taking in a new baby," said Rhiannon. "But the children are happy about going on an extended holiday on Jack's expense account."

"Tell Mica and David that I love them," said Ianto.

"I always do," said Rhiannon. "Even prepped for surgery, laid out like a spring chicken, your man is a looker."

Ianto smiled. "That he is."

xxxx

Author's Note: A lady at my work had a premature baby that small. Her daughter is now five and is very healthy and active. And I thought I was small at 3lb 12 oz. A woman, at the hospital, said to my grandmother, "Not the size of a decent chicken."


	4. Chapter 3

Yes, I'm rewriting part of the last chapter in Jack's POV, but I'll be continuing past that. BTW, I still don't own Torchwood.

xxxx

Looking at Owen getting himself up off the floor, Jack couldn't help but feel a bit sorry for him. Thanks to him not letting Owen stay dead, Owen was now one of two mortal men on the planet. Jack being the other. Jack, having an IV in his arm to keep his unborn child from causing him to haemorrhage to death, wasn't in any position to do much more than laugh.

"Doctor, can I have a new anaesthesiologist? I hate to be a pain, but I don't want him getting his germs in my face," teased Jack.

Owen answered when Jack was addressing his doctor, Martha. Then Owen was talking, probably, to calm himself down.

Finally, Ianto and Rhiannon arrived. While Rhiannon stayed by the door of the small room, posing as an operating theatre, Ianto raced over to Jack and kissed him on the cheek. Then Ianto took Jack's hand and held it tight. "I got here as quick as I could. How are you and the baby holding out?"

Owen, at his hyperactive best, interrupted once again.

"I'm a bit sleepy from the drugs," said Jack. "But other than that, I'm good. I was worried you weren't going to be here for the birth of our son."

"Jackie, wild horses couldn't keep me away." Ianto continued to hold Jack's hand.

Owen shooed Ianto away and told Jack to count back from a hundred. Jack only got to 97 when sleep took him. When Jack woke, Ianto was holding his hand and, thankfully, Owen was nowhere to be seen. His doctor, Martha, was standing by but not crowding him and Ianto.

"How's the baby?" asked Jack.

"He's small but perfect in every way," said Ianto. "Do you want to see him once before Rhiannon takes him into hiding?"

Jack squeezed Ianto's hand. "Once." Jack now remembered why he said he never wanted to get pregnant, again. All those female hormones leaving his body cause horrible post-partum depression. He was going to spend the next few weeks crying while his hormones return to their normal male levels. Not having Jeremy with him would only make it worse. With this Miracle Day, Torchwood needed its strong no nonsense leader. As he let go of Ianto's hand, so he could bring the baby in to see him, Jack told himself he wasn't going to let a bunch of chemicals rule him.

Jack turned his head to watch the door. The few seconds it took for Ianto to return with the baby seemed like forever. Being over two thousand years old didn't mean time passed faster for him. Lucky for him, those centuries buried under ground were hazy to none existent due to lack of oxygen to his brain. If he remembered the time in the coffin, he would be quite mad. Or, maybe, the amnesia was his mind's way of coping. Right now, he was happy to see Ianto and the baby lost in his arms. The baby wasn't much bigger than Ianto's two hands. So small.

"You hold him. I'm still high on drugs. You bring him close, so I can get a good look." Jack forced his eyes open to look at the baby. Alice had hair when she was born. Then she was also full term. All but Jeremy's face was bundled in a baby blanket. Jack wasn't much of a father to Alice and now he was sending Jeremy away for his own protection. "You be good for Aunt Rhiannon."

Jack wiped a tear from his cheek with his hand that had the IV attached. "Go."

Ianto nodded.

Jack didn't yell stop while Ianto took the baby. He could feel his heart breaking, but whoever sent a suicide bomber would be after him again once they realised that Jack didn't die in surgery. This hiatus would only last so long and Jeremy wasn't safe until the threat on Jack's life was neutralised.

xxxx

The next day, Owen was back with company. A man holding a gun and bleeding all over what once was a nice suit. Rhiannon and the baby would be long gone by now. Safe from gunmen - bleeding from a chest wound or not.

"Dr Frankenstein, no sudden moves," said Rex.

"I'm Frankenstein's monster," said Owen. "Drs Frankenstein and Jekyll brought me back to life. It was a two-person operation."

"You're the funny one," said Rex. "You stand with Tyra Banks."

"What are you doing to do?" asked Owen. "Bleed on us."

"I'm not Tyra," said Uneek. "I'm Uneek."

"I'm sure you are." Rex pointed his gun. "I have orders extradite Torchwood to the United States."

Owen stared down Rex. "You move him and he dies. The same time everyone became immortal and Jack became mortal as in he's the only person that can really die."

Uneek took Owen's hand. "Jack could have the key to all this. We can't let him die."

Rex's lowered his gun, more from fatigue by the look of him then anything else. "Dr Harper, how long until we can move him?"

Owen took Jack's pulse to look like he was doing something. "A week give or take. We need to remove the staples and check for infection."

"What's wrong with him?" asked Rex.

"Appendix." Owen lied.

Martha said, "I need to open the store unless you want our customers to think something is amiss."

"You, open the store," said Rex. "The rest of you stay here."

Martha left the room.

"According to the paperwork, I'm missing a Gwen Cooper and a Ianto Jones," said the man with the gun.

"I'm Gwen Cooper," said Uneek.

"I've seen a photo," said Rex.

"She's retired," said Owen.

Rex's gun hand was resting against his leg. "Is Mr Jones retired, too?"

"No, he's out," said Owen. "He'll be back soon."

Rex sat on a chair and placed the hand holding the gun on his lap. "We wait."

"Can I check on my patient?" asked Owen.

"Please, do," said Rex.

Owen took Jack's pulse and blood pressure then he added more medicine to the IV. Pretending to slip, Owen stabbed the syringe into Rex's leg, causing the already sleepy man to close his eyes.

"What did you give him?" asked Uneek.

"Morphine. Now we have two patients. It looks like he ripped open his stitches. He, probably, left the hospital without doctor's permission. Foolish man." While removing Rex's clothing, Owen looked through the man's wallet. "Rex Matheson, CIA. Uneek, help me prep him."

Owen gave Rex metanec through an IV, so he wouldn't need to use anaesthesia on him. He had only given him part of Jack's dose of morphine; therefore, if Rex (Agent Matheson) wasn't already dropping from fatigue, he wouldn't have been knocked out cold. Since they didn't have another bed, Owen closed up Rex's wounds with Rex lying on the floor.

Afterwards, Owen said, "Uneek, get a wheelchair. Then we need to move Jack to his office to give Agent Matheson the bed."

Uneek grunted then said, "Agent Matheson isn't the only one who needs a bed."

"You were wasted scrubbing floors," said Owen.

Ianto came back in time to help move Jack to his office. After Owen checked Jack's stitches and removed the staples, he told Jack and Ianto that Jack needs to walk around the sooner the better. Owen then explained that Agent Matheson wants to move them to the other side of the pond and they need to pretend that Jack can't be moved for as long as possible.

Then he left Jack in Ianto's capable hands. He returned to the make-shift operating theatre to find Uneek pointing the gun at Rex. "Could you use some help?" Owen asked.

"You think?" asked Uneek.

Owen got to work restraining Rex to the bed. "Tight as a bug in a rug."

"Who are you people?" asked Rex.

"Torchwood," said Uneek.


	5. Chapter 4

Author's Notes: I still don't own Torchwood.

xxxx

After Ianto spent over an hour arguing with Andy. Andy told him he would see what he could do about the higher ups breathing down his neck. That night, everyone gathered in the make-shift hospital room where Agent Matheson was still tied to the bed. Jack sat in his wheelchair with Ianto standing behind him. Mickey and Martha were holding hands and making puppy dog eyes to each other. Owen and Uneek stood there still minding their openly hostile patient.

"What is this:_ The Newlywed Gam_e?" asked Rex.

Owen said, "We're not married."

Uneek kissed his cheek. "We have a domestic partnership."

Owen didn't say with other people. They could play married couple for Agent Matheson. Uneek, holding that gun at Rex, made Owen think of Emma Peel. For some reason, Owen didn't think Miracle Day was caused by aliens making this outside their usual line of work. "Your friends in Washington want us on the next plane out; however, we explained to police that we have a patient that isn't going anywhere. Make that two. You ripped your stitches clean out. Do you want to kill yourself?"

"No one dies," said Rex.

"Agent Matheson, I agree totally," said Martha. "Since Jack is mortal, he's staying put until his stitches are healed. I would also recommend that you get some bed-rest."

Rex tugged on one of his arm restraints. "Forced."

"If it needs to be," said Martha.

"He's in a wheelchair, so he can travel with a doctor accompanying him," said Rex.

"I'm still worried about infection," said Martha.

"He didn't have his appendix removed," said Rex.

"Alien parasite," said Martha. "Owen used a singularity scalpel to remove one from me. Thanks the government bombing our last headquarters, we needed to remove it the old-fashioned way. A second more and did you see_ Aliens_? Not pretty."

Rex winced at the image.

The cell phone started to ring.

Martha held the phone to Rex's ear. "You better answer that."

"Hello, Esther... It's nice to hear from you... Yes, I understand... No... Yes... Thanks for calling...We'll speak soon," went Rex's end of the conversion.

After Rex said good-bye, Martha took the phone away. "You have a lousy poker face. Your friend is warning you about some kind of trouble you don't want us hearing about. We can't help you if you don't speak up."

Rex tugged at the restrain on his right hand. "You consider this helping me."

"Dr. Juarez faxed us your medical information," explained Martha in her sweetest voice. "You left the hospital against her advice. We can't have you tearing open your chest wound for a second time. You behave yourself and we shall see."

"I still consider you hostile."

"The United Kingdom and The United States are on friendly terms," said Mickey. "You aren't in enemy hands. Right now, our people are talking to your people about the fact we have two patients that can't be moved and no one being quite sure what that means with the new state of affairs. We could be at a standoff for awhile."

"Martha, you appear to have a handle on things," said Owen. "Do you mind if I go home to shower and change into something I haven't been wearing for over two days straight."

Mickey held his nose then said, "Good idea, Doc Harper."

"I'll drive." Uneek gently pushed Owen toward the door. "Come on, Sweetie."

When they got to the car door, Owen said, "You're putting it on a bit thick."

xxxx

After Uneek and Owen left, Ianto returned to Jack's office to make more phone calls. Leaving Martha and Mickey to watch over the patient. Martha watched the hours tick by and figured Owen went to sleep in his own bed after showering and changing. After Jack and Rex are well enough to move, they would have to take a pro-active part in finding the people after Jack and also, possibly, Rex, depending on what that mysterious phone call was about. Now was time to plan strategy; if Rex could find them, then other people could.

Finally, Ianto wheeled Jack back into what was now Rex's recovery room. "Just I got off the phone with the constable and there is a conference in Washington deciding on post-Miracle Day health care. Since Dr. Juarez doesn't know the long-term effects on moving people with what used to be considered life-threatening injuries, she told us to proceed with caution." Ianto smiled at their patient. "Agent Matheson, you have friends in high places."

"Now what?" asked Rex.

"I change your bandages and see how well you're healing," said Martha. "You behave, we shall talk about removing your restrains. Agent Matheson, the ball is in your court."

"That's it," said Rex.

"Unless you tell us what was that phone conversation was about," said Jack. "Martha, Esther Drummond was the lady at the records building. Since Esther is a fairly uncommon name, we can assume it's the same person unless Agent Matheson tells us different."

"Call me Rex," said Rex. "I feel like I'm being interrogated."

Ianto said, "You are being interrogated. Is the Esther on the phone Esther Drummond?"

"Yes," said Rex. "She's a watch analyst and fact checker - a nobody really."

"She found the last remaining hard copy file on Torchwood," said Jack. "And her calling you means the retcon didn't take affect or something triggered her memories. That sounds like a somebody to me."

"What's with the get-up?" asked Rex. "Halloween isn't for several months and you're too old for Trick-or-Treat. Are you suppose to an injured War World 2 vet?"

"Says a man tied to a bed in a hospital gown," said Jack.

"Not my choice, War World 2," said Rex.


	6. Chapter 5

Author's Note: I'm sorry that it is taking so long to get them to the plane. Nobody misses with Martha. She says the patient stays put; he stays put. I still don't own Torchwood.

xxxx

Owen came back the following morning after being well rested. Martha and Ianto updated him on the patient, their standoff with the CIA and how they also slowly got Rex to talk. It appears Esther and Rex were set up by someone in the CIA to look like traitors. Money was transferred to their accounts and their CIA clearance was revoked. Martha took him to a supply closet to talk.

"We take Rex to the plane and they will arrest him," said Martha.

Owen said, "We have a pilot."

Martha said, "We aren't getting Diane involved."

"Were Gwen and Rhys really retconned?" whispered Owen.

"No," admitted Martha. "But no one is to know that for their safety."

"Especially our friend tied to the bed," whispered Owen.

"Especially not him," agreed Martha.

"Rex isn't suppose to know about the money and is suppose to meet the plane as planned," said Owen.

"Owen, we are not going to hijack a United States government jet," Martha said in a soft voice.

"A little retcon in the coffee," said Owen. "Cake."

"Jack and Diane flew planes during World War 2," said Martha. "This is a modern jet. Your plan is full of holes."

"Jack has an American accent," said Owen. "He can fool the control tower."

"The last time he used psychic paper, his security clearance read 'You're sexy. Let's fuck.'"

"Then Diane handles the psychic paper," said Owen. "It could work."

"If you and Diane drug the flight crew and hijack a plane, you're going to be labelled terrorists. Let's say everything goes right," Martha said in her sweetest; thus, scariest voice. "You go in with guns blazing and find the baddies and return everything to the status quo. No one is going to give you a medal for making immortal people mortal. You and Jack could be looking forward to a long time in an American prison."

Ianto entered the closet. "What you two whispering about?"

"Someone in the CIA wanting Jack and Rex out of the picture," whispered Owen. "The people behind Miracle Day are scared of Jack and we need to know why. I get some much needed sleep and you interrogate the prisoner without me. What do we know so far?"

"That we need to include Jack in this conversation," said Ianto.

"Let him sleep," said Martha.

"I can't believe you told Rex that we removed an alien parasite," said Owen.

"Jack wasn't born on Earth, so the parasite slash baby has alien origins," said Martha. "I had to say something."

"Our spy equipment are the contact lenses and psychic paper," said Owen.

"And some safe cracking equipment," added Martha. "Ianto, do you have anything to add to the list?"

"I handle the psychic paper," said Ianto. "I can out poker face anyone."

Martha said, "Owen and I were just talking about the last time Jack used psychic paper."

"I didn't speak to him for days after that," said Ianto.

"Is Jack walking more?" asked Owen.

"A bit," said Ianto. "He's in a lot of pain."

"Diane can fly the plane, but he needs to talk to air traffic control," explained Owen. "I'll tell Helen that Diane and I are taking a pre-marriage honeymoon."

"Martha, you can cover for Owen and Mickey can manage the store," said Ianto. "Don't give me that face. You will be our eyes and ears on this side of the pond."

"Owen got to go home to sleep. Rex is your patient for the next 12 hours." Martha gave Owen a hug then left after saying good-bye.

xxxx

Owen entered the room with a tray of food: eggs, sausage, toast with butter and jam and hot coffee. "Did you sleep well?"

"Are you the morning crew?" said Rex.

"I thought you were going to be cooperative," said Owen. "Seeing that your government has turned on you and we're all you have."

"How do I know you're not poisoning the food?" asked Rex.

"Because it's far easier to poison your IV." Owen, as a demonstration, touched the IV bag. "You can stay on the diet of sugar water, but I thought you would like some real food. After I managed to keep more than a few bites down, I found I missed chewing, swallowing, the taste and aroma of good food. "

"What do the British know about good food?"

"English food is some of the best in the world as long as you eat breakfast three times a day," said Owen. "And I happen to have a good old-fashioned English breakfast."

Rex moved his hand in the restrain - handcuff. "Are you going to spoon feed me?" The local police handcuffed Rex to the bed since he allegedly sold secrets to the Chinese. They would rather he was moved to the gaol until he could be extradited, but since Dr Smith said he couldn't be moved, handcuffing and giving Torchwood the key was the best they could do.

"Your toast is already buttered." Owen looked at Ianto by the door. "I'll undo one hand."

After Owen released Rex's right hand, Owen helped Rex sit up. Then he put the food tray in front of Rex. Owen, finally, sat back to watch Rex eat.

"It would be easier to eat with two hands," said Rex.

"I scrubbed and sanitized patients' rooms with one hand," said Owen. "My evaluations were good to excellent - better than people with two hands. With three limbs tied to the bed, you're less likely to cause trouble than only having your two lower lower limbs tied."

"The US has branded me a traitor - claim I took money from the Chinese," said Rex. "Where am I going to go?"

"That isn't my problem," said Owen. "Three limbs stay tied to the bed or we can make it four and I can feed you."

Rex started stabbing his eggs with the plastic fork. "Dr Harper, is your bedside manner always so endearing?"

"I mostly see patients to go over their meds and check on their progress. I've sat in on group therapy, but a social worker moderates the group. The British government loves their paperwork, so I spend more time in the office than doing patient care."

"Don't your patients need you?" asked Rex.

"You trying to get rid of me?" said Owen.

"No way." Rex took a glance at Ianto standing by the door. "You and Martha are the only thing protecting me from the men in black."

"We're working on getting us to America with no one getting maimed," said Owen. "I would say killed, but no one dies."

"Maimed?" said Rex, between forkfuls.

"Jack was sealed in concrete once. Being fully aware and sealed in concrete. I would take death over that." Owen looked at his nurse's shoes. His good loafers were still at Flat Holm. What did Rex think of his loop earrings, eye make-up and pink nail polish? Not that he cared what Rex thought. Owen was dead and now he wasn't; he was so beyond caring. "We need to find out who is behind Miracle Day and we can't do that from a Welch pawn shop."

"I'm getting out of here?"

"Eventually," said Owen. "I did Marilyn for a Welch audience, so my American accent could be terrible."

"Marilyn?" asked Rex. "As in Monroe?"

"It's a long story," said Owen. "My wig was all matted and my make-up was running down my face and Jack asked me if I was Jack Lemmon or Tony Curtis. I told him I was Marilyn Monroe. Later, Uneek and I were in a pub and they had talent night. Dave dared me to do Marilyn. Diane and I bought this circa 1950's girdle on Ebay. I got second place. This local bloke, a regular at the pub, got first."

"Is Dave your man?" asked Rex. "When Uneek kissed you, you looked like a deer caught in someone's highlights."

"No, Dave is Uneek's bloke," said Owen.

"Are you coming to American?"

"I'll be coming along as Jack's doctor," said Owen.

"You aren't Torchwood." Rex said that like it was a statement of fact.

"I was Torchwood," said Owen. "Then Tosh died. Thomas Wolfe is right. 'You can't go home, again.'"

"Dr Martha Smith is all Torchwood. So is that computer geek husband of hers."

With Ianto at the door with his gun visible, Rex knew better than using his free hand to jimmy the lock on the handcuff. After Owen watched Rex eat, Owen locked Rex's right cuff. Then Owen sat down to sit with the patient to empty his urinal and bedpan as necessary. While Owen was giving Rex a sponge bath, Jack wheeled himself into the room.

"Owen, does the patient look ready to move?" asked Jack.

"His injuries are healing nicely and no sign of infection," said Owen.

"Then I take that as a yes," said Jack. "We've been discussing the situation, and I've been getting a bit antsy. I don't like people gunning for me, especially now that I'm mortal. Owen had a suggestion. Hijacking the plane should be our last resort - not our first move. What we will do is let our CIA escorts take us to America. We are to be polite and treat them like proper hosts. If they don't return the favour, then we shall do what is necessary to insure our safety. Not before."

"You need to walk more," said Owen.

"I have a long plane ride ahead of me," said Jack. "And our hosts may be more polite to an injured passenger. We need to use everything we have in our arsenal to our advantage and that includes my abdominal wound."

Owen nodded. "Shall I invite Diane?"

"Another pilot may come in handy if things go sour," admitted Jack, "especially, since I haven't piloted an aeroplane in many years. Invite her. They want Torchwood - we shall give them more Torchwood than they can handle."

"Martha and Mickey agreed to stay here to keep up appearances," Owen informed Jack. "I'll go home to change. They may be nicer to a lady than an effeminate man."

"I like the way you think." Jack's eyes went to Owen's bum. "A short dress to show off those slender legs of yours."

Jack's eyes weren't on Owen's legs.

"I'll push the wheelchair and play the pretty nurse. Press our every advantage." After Owen finished washing and drying Rex, he rechained Rex then mock saluted Jack.

"Will you be wearing the girdle?" asked Rex.

"Under my dress. But you shall never see it. I have a significant other - a former army pilot." Owen waved to Rex. "Pooh pooh bee doo!" Doing his best Betty Boop, he blew a kiss to Rex.


	7. Chapter 6

Author's Note: Still don't own Torchwood.

xxxx

"How are you going to handle me?" asked Rex.

"We are going to hand you over to the CIA at gun point," said Jack. "Torchwood Institute intelligence would know of you selling secrets to the Chinese. Sorry. We all have to play our part."

"Does Owen pass as a bird?"

"Rex, don't use British idioms," warned Jack. "He passes. He worked at a hospital for two years and his co-workers still believe he's female."

"Owen told me he's head of medicine in a small clinic," said Rex. "Can he get the time off?"

"Martha will be covering for him," said Jack.

"I like Owen," said Rex. "Don't tell him I said that."

Jack gave him one of his patented looks.

Rex said, "As a friend, I don't go that way."

"Owen has been with men, but he prefers the ladies." Jack wheeled himself closer to the bed. "This room isn't very handicap assessable. Ianto is making arrangements for the prisoner transfer. You are going to walk to the plane in handcuffs. I get our one wheelchair. Sorry. Ianto and Uneek have guns, so no sudden moves. I'm sure your men shall also have guns."

"Was it one intestinal parasite or many?"

"One weighing over two pounds." Jack didn't think of his baby as a parasite - even though - technically it was. "It was trying to make its way out of my body. If Martha didn't intervene, I would have haemorrhaged to death."

"Ouch," said Rex.

Jack didn't trust Rex enough to tell him about the baby. That wasn't true he trusted Rex well enough. Who Jack didn't trust were any of the people that Rex might talk to in passing. He needed to keep Jeremy a secret for now. "We aren't going to let the CIA take you to federal prison or whatever they do to traitors. We just need to use them for transport. Can Esther or someone else you trust meet us outside the airport?"

"Esther, I suppose," said Rex.

"I'll unlock your right hand to let you use the cell phone," said Jack.

After Jack freed his hand, Rex said, "Thanks."

"You're homophobic around me and you flirt with Owen," said Jack. "Why?"

"You want me," said Rex. "Owen doesn't."

"Don't flatter yourself," said Jack. That wasn't the answer. Rex, probably, saw Owen as a joke while Jack was a threat to Rex's manhood. Let Rex think that. Rex never saw Owen toss a man twice his size across a pub. Owen was more dangerous single-handed then most people were with two hands.

"How are you going to get me out?" asked Rex.

"We can't tell you everything."

"You aren't going to tell me you scrubbed bathrooms with one hand tied behind your back and I should man up."

"Rex, do you really want two faggots telling you to man up?" Jack gave Rex a hard stare to bring home the point. "Can your homophobic male ego take that?"

"I was nice to Owen," said Rex.

"Treating someone as a joke isn't being nice," said Jack.

"He treats himself as a joke," said Rex.

"He enjoys playing with sex roles. He started dressing as a woman because he needed to wear full-body make-up to hide that he was dead and he was self-conscious about the make-up and thought other people could see it."

"He told me he did drag for amateur night at the pub with no prompting from me."

"Call your friend," said Jack.

"How big is your party? Can we use a compact car or do we need a minivan?"

Jack counted on his fingers. "Ianto, myself, Owen, Diane, Uneek, you and Esther. Seven people. Minivan."

"Wheelchair accessible?" Rex asked with the phone in his hand.

"No need." Jack rested a hand on his lap. "It hurts and the stitches pull, but I can walk."

Rex told Esther to meet him at the airport with a minivan. He then explained that the doctor in charge of his case was resting at home and he didn't know when she would give the OK for his release. He would call back with further information.

xxxx

Another evening came then morning. When Owen came back, he didn't have on a short skirt. He claimed it was in his bag since he wanted to be all fresh for the plane ride. Much to Jack's disappointment. Martha checked Rex's wound and replaced the bandages.

"He can travel. Dress. Uneek washed the blood out of your clothes." Then she unlocked his handcuffs and untied his feet. She threw the clothes onto the bed. "Jack and Mickey have guns, so don't try anything. They shoot you and you get to enjoy my company for longer since you can't die."

Rex rubbed his arms. "Anything but that. Don't I get some privacy?"

Mickey and Jack both shook their heads.

"I'll leave the room," said Martha.

Jack was sorry to see her go, but she was right out the door if Rex pulled a stitch or something.

Rex dressed as Mickey turned his head. Jack not only watched but whistled.

"Your ass is almost as nice as Owen's," said Jack. "I may keep you around as eye candy."

Rex said, "I'm dressing here."

"Should we let the guards at Leavenworth have a go at him?" said Mickey. "They will not only watch but check your orifices for drugs and other contraband. Delousing is also fun."

Jack said, "Be nice."

"You whistled," retorted Mickey.

xxxx

After the flight was arranged, Owen dressed in a pea green shirt dress tied with a belt at the waist. It went to just above the knee. Owen decided not to wear the Marilyn Monroe wig and go with his work wig that was his natural brown - shoulder length with a slight wave. No bows or ribbons in his wig today since he wanted to look professional. His make-up was slight like he wore at the hospital. All anyone could see was his lipstick and a slight blush. He had on stockings and his nursing shoes.

Rex smiled at him. "Owen?"

"Dr Harper to you," said Owen using a feminine voice. "You set to go? I'm a bit knackered myself, but since we got a long flight ahead. Plenty of time to sleep."

"As ready as I'll ever be," said Rex.

"You've been wanting to leave since you got here," said Owen. "I'll see to Jack then."

Rex smiled at him then waved good-bye as Owen went over to Jack's office.

Jack was sitting at his desk.

"I see you're out of the wheelchair," said Owen. "In case our friends are watching, I need to wheel you to the van. How are we going to handle airport security."

"I'm not being x-rayed," said Jack. "Those machines can see enough soft tissue to know that I had a c-section if anyone cared to look. All we need is for someone to ask around later. Airport security isn't likely to forget an intersex passenger with c-section scars still healing. They're padding me down."

"Padding you down," said Owen. "Got it."

"You padded your tight little ass," said Jack. "I like your sexy behind."

Owen put his hands on his belted waist. "If I pad the bum and the chest, I get more of an hourglass figure."

xxxx

Owen made it through airport security passing his handicapped patient around the x-ray machine. He then went through the x-ray machine alone while security padded down Jack. Jack got the all clear, which made Owen wonder where Jack hid the gun. Knowing Jack, it was a plastic or composite gun.

Then a man doing security pulled Owen to the side. "Anything wrong?" asked Owen. Did they find Jack's plastic gun?

"Your patient doesn't know what you're hiding under your skirt; that's why you asked to go through the x-ray machine after he was through security," said the security person.

"No, he doesn't and either did the hospital I worked at for over 2 years," said Owen. "The M on my passport is my business. Is that all? We have a plane to catch."

"Sorry, ma'am," said the security person.

"You should be." Owen smiled as he walked toward the gate. That was close. Ianto and Uneek had the hard part handling the prisoner transfer. All Owen had to do was get to the gate on time.

After they got on the plane, Owen put the wheelchair in the service area after he helped Jack into his seat. It was a mostly empty plane. Then it was procedure to let handicapped people on first.

The flight attendant said, "You can't leave it there."

"It doesn't fit in the overhead bin," said Owen. "And Captain Harkness may need to use the facilities during the flight."

The flight attendant looked at Owen then Jack and said, "I suppose it will be alright. You need to move it if it gets in the way."

Owen sat down with Jack to wait for the others. "You comfy?"

"I've been better," said Jack. "I'm mortal. Not dying. I suppose I am dying slowly."


	8. Chapter 7

Author's Note: I don't own Torchwood. It belongs to BBC.

xxxx

Diane raced over to Owen and wrapped her arms around him and kissed him full on the lips like she never wanted to let go, taking Owen by surprise. They had just seen each other in the morning and enjoyed some early morning sex. His Diane was not a vanilla girl; she was a more of a hot fudge with all the sprinkles type of girl. Even so, she had a bit of a 1950's attitude about public shows of affection. So all this kissing and necking, although Owen liked it, it took him by surprise.

Finally, Diane spoke. "You're a sight for sore eyes."

"The pilot doesn't like airports," Owen teased.

"It's not the airport," Diane said while tossing her overnight bag into the overhead bin. "I needed that magic paper to get on board. They threatened to call airport security on me. I hate officious busy bodies."

"I'm an officious busy body," said Owen.

"Only when talking to patients' families," Diane placed an arm around Owen. "Let's find a spot a bit more private." And not start fighting went unsaid.

Owen didn't need to be told twice. Letting Diane have the window seat, Owen sat in the aisle seat. Then he opened his purse to take out his lipstick and reapplied it. "Better?"

"Not a smudge," said Diane. "I'm hopeless without a mirror."

Owen held Diane close and whispered in her ear. "You don't mind all this."

Diane whispered back. "You need to be comfortable with you. I don't know if you're gender fluid or genderqueer, but I know that under that skirt you're all man. I think you're beautiful as you are. When Katharine Hepburn worn trousers, it was scandalous. Now no one raises an eye brow when a woman wears trousers. I think it should be the same if a man wants to wear a skirt."

"People think you're a lesbian," whispered Owen.

"The Royal army accused me of such when they tried to give me a less than honourable discharge," Diane said a bit too loudly to be called a whisper. "I wouldn't let them."

Owen whispered back to remind her that others could be listening. "Good for you."

"No one tries to get one over on Diane Holmes," she said returning to whispering in Owen's ear. "I'm sorry I didn't bring much clothes, but you said to pack light in case we need to leave in a hurry."

"The shopping is great in the Colonies," said Owen. "We can make a holiday of it."

"Then we aren't staying with the others?" said Diane.

"No. Once this baby lands, we're honeymooning." said Owen.

Diane showed Owen her ring finger. "I don't see a ring. Don't we need to be married first to honeymoon?"

"We never been a traditional couple," whispered Owen. "We aren't going to start now. Maybe, we can stop by to see how Miss Earhart is doing. Since we're landing in Washington, we can take in the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum. See all of those old planes you love."

"Could we?" asked Diane.

"I don't see why not." Owen wanted to snuggle close to Diane, but it was his job to look out for Jack's safety. Still, he could do a bit of both as long as he kept his eyes and ears open.

Ianto and Uneek entered the plane without Rex. Ianto sat beside Jack and placed an arm around his shoulders. Owen couldn't make out what they were saying because they cupped their hands around mouths to prevent lipreading. Minus her carry-on bag and, probably, her gun, Uneek took a seat away from the others. She didn't look happy to say the least.

Rex, finally, entered the plane. He was no longer in handcuffs. Not a good sign. Things could get ugly fast. Luckily, Jack was still sitting on his gun. Jack had told them to be polite as long as their hosts were polite. Jack, as their leader, would signal when it was time to get rude.

Rex was shouting to the woman that entered the plane with him. "No, no, no! This operation is mine. I thought of it. It's my idea, my execution."

"You want to piss on the plane?" said the lady just as loudly, making everyone on the plane turn their heads. "Make that yours, too." With a hand on her hip, she walked over to Owen and Diane. Then she stared down Diane. "Miss, I don't know who you are, but you need to get off this plane."

Diane went to remove her wallet with the psychic paper from her trouser pocket.

When Diane opened the wallet, the woman didn't look at it. "I don't care if your papers say 'You're God', you need to leave."

"She goes then I go then Captain Harkness goes," Owen explained.

The woman (CIA agent?) said, "He doesn't need a doctor. He looks healthy to me."

Jack lifted himself off the seat with great effort. Owen could see Jack was still in a lot of pain. After handing Ianto his great coat, Jack pulled down his braces and started to unbutton his shirt.

"No need," cried the woman.

Jack continued to unbutton then Jack was part exhibitionist and needed only the barest excuse to undress in public. Then he pulled up his tee shirt to show the vertical scar. "You see how much you feel like walking after having a two-pound parasite removed from your gut."

"Oh my God," squealed the woman.

"I just had the staples removed. The scar is still pink." After tucking in his tee shirt, Jack buttoned his shirt then using his arms to support some of his weight, Jack got himself up enough that Ianto could help him get his great coat back on. Finally, Jack sat down over the plastic gun.

Owen hoped that woman didn't see the gun since Ianto and Uneek no longer had theirs.

"I didn't need to see that," said the woman.

Good. She didn't appear to have seen the gun that was now under Jack's fat behind. Then since Jack only lifted himself part of the way up, it wasn't really visible from the aisle unless you knew what you were looking for.

"Yes, you did," said Owen. "Since I'm travelling as Jack's personal physician, I get to bring along my significant other unless you want to make an issue of it. I can sit in the airport all day. I don't have any plans."

Diane kissed Owen's cheek and held his hand.

The woman rolled her eyes. "Is everyone who works for Torchwood gay?"

"No," said Jack. "Open-minded. If you can't see beyond a person's sex, how are you going to relate to an alien?"

"Do you talk to many aliens?" asked Rex.

"I was born on another planet," said Jack. "You are all aliens to me."

"He's joking," said the woman.

"No, he isn't," said Owen. "Every human being's biology is unique. However, most people born in Captain Harkness's era have some alien genetics thrown into the mix. Some more than others."

The woman rolled her eyes, again. "He's part space alien."

"All space alien, Ma'am," said Jack.

"He wasn't born on Earth," said Owen. "He just told you that. You need to listen better. Isn't listening part of your secret agent training?"

"Dr Harper, since we need Captain Harkness to sort out this Miracle Day shit," said the woman, "and I never dealt with aliens of the extraterrestrial sort, you and your SO can stay for now."

"Thank you," Owen said a bit too sarcastically.

Finally, the plane started rolling down the runway. The flight attendants - one man and one woman - started showing everyone how to use the life preservers like this was any other flight across the Atlantic. One of the flight attendants told them they needed to put their tray tables up and to watch their fasten seatbelts signs for when it was safe to walk around the cabin.

Owen watched as Rex and the female agent sat down in separate rows and buckled up while Ianto helped Jack with his seatbelt. Diane snuggled next to Owen and slid off her shoes. This was going to be a long flight.

xxxx

Author's note: I know Lyn says the pissing on the plane line outside the plane, but the line was too good not to add to my AU. :)


	9. Chapter 8

Author's Note: I still don't own Torchwood. All quotes are used without BBC's permission and no profit is being made by their use.

xxxx

Owen didn't really care about Torchwood and CIA politics. He was there to keep Jack safe nothing more. Once they landed, Owen and Diane would leave during the confusion and, if there wasn't any confusion, Owen and Diane would make it. Then Owen's ears perked up.

Rex stood in front of Jack. "What you are is connected and someone has made a link between you and the miracle. And now they want to kill you for it. So we work out what the connection is and then we start to solve it."

Finally, someone was talking sense.

Jack looked at his hands or his wrist strap; it was hard to tell which from Owen's seat. "So is anyone doing investigations on morphic fields?"

"On the what fields?" asked Rex.

Jack explained, "The Sheldrake Theory - the passing of connective information through the process of morphic resonance."

"I'm sure it is." Rex's voice filled with doubt.

"The theory states that a bunch of monkeys on a island learn how to use a rock as a knife. Then a bunch of monkeys on another island 10,000 miles away also learn to how to use a rock as a knife because they're connected through a morphic field."

"Come on now! That's just science fiction."

"Except it's not a theory, it's a fact. and the amazing thing about the miracle is not that no one is dying, it's not that the human race has become immortal. It's that it happened to everyone at the same time. Don't you see? It was instantaneous. And that's a morphic event on a scale that I have never seen before, so whatever is happening to this planet, it's massive!"

Now all they needed to do was find whatever was causing the morphic field and stop it. But how? If Jack became mortal because of a morphic field, Owen was tied to Jack and also mortal in an immortal world. Owen just wanted to enjoy looking at old aeroplanes with Diane, but it didn't look like that was going to happen.

That next six hours just got a lot less boring.

Jack asked the flight attendant for a drink.

"I can give you water, I suppose," said Danny, the male flight attendant.

"Water," complained Jack. "I'm an American, too. Can't I contribute to the our global cultural hegemony with a nice frosty cola?"

"You're a a space alien," said Lyn. "You can't have it both ways."

"I'll get him a soda," Owen suggested.

"No, I will," said Lyn.

Owen got up anyway and watched Lyn. Seeing her put a pill in Jack's soda, he yelled. "What are you doing?"

"Must you sneak up on people?" asked Lyn.

"You put something in his drink," said Owen.

"A mild tranquillizer to help him sleep." Lyn hid the rest of the pills in her purse. Not very well, by the way, since Owen also saw that.

"I'm the doctor," explained Owen. "I give my patient any and all medications. Dump it or I shall."

Lyn dumped the poisoned cola and returned to her seat. Then Owen poured Jack a soda then whispered to Jack. "Lyn just tried to poison you."

"I'm not surprised," Jack whispered back. "She tried to get Diane off the plane. Whatever is going on with Lyn, Rex is as clueless as us."

Owen whispered, "You think Lyn is in on it."

"That or she is taking orders from someone. My talk of morphic fields scared her. You and Diane go on your holiday. We can't put all our eggs in one basket. You are my back-up if I fail," whispered Jack handing Owen his wrist strap.

"I can't," Owen whispered.

"You need to set things right," whispered Jack. "if I fail. If I'm right, a lot more is going on than immortality."

Owen stuck the wrist strap in his bra. "OK."

Owen swallowed hard then returned to his seat. They said nothing to Rex about Lyn putting something in Jack's drink since Owen had her dump it. The rest of the flight was peaceful. Too peaceful since Owen really needed to stay alert since someone already tried to kill Jack.

Finally, Owen pulled Rex to the side and whispered to him. "I'm taking a chance talking to you because you could be in on it, but Lyn tried to poison Jack. I stopped her."

"Whoa," said Rex.

"You know nothing?" asked Owen.

"You had me tied up in that pawn shop for days," whispered Rex. "Do you really need to ask?"

"Then they're setting you up, too," said Owen. "Watch your step."

"Got it," said Rex.

"You're still wanted as a traitor," said Owen. "Lyn can pull that card whenever it suits her."

"So how are you going to get me out?" asked Rex.

Owen wasn't. "You still have Esther waiting at the airport. Jack will get you to Esther. He's a man of his word."

"What about you?" Rex whispered back.

"Jack wants Diane and me to leave while everyone is going through customs."

"Why?" asked Rex.

"Can I trust you?"

"You can trust me, but the plane could be bugged," said Rex.

"I'll tell you later then." Owen went back to his seat.

"So that's your former army pilot?" asked Rex.

Diane saluted.

"She's pretty." Rex smiled. Did Rex know that Owen and Jack were connected by a morphic field? Or was Rex too dense to figure that out?

Owen's job was to stay alive, so he could be back-up if Jack failed. Failed what? Too many questions and no answers. He also needed to keep Jeremy safe. The people causing the morphic field could use Jeremy to make Jack do their bidding. He couldn't use the wrist strap on the plane. It would raise too many questions.

After the plane landed then they went through customs and had their passports stamped, Owen held Diane close, prepared himself to vomit again, and set the wrist strap. The next second they were outside a hotel closed for renovation - The Watergate. That was Jack's weird sense of humour. At least, they were in Washington, DC. Owen would take Diane to the Smithsonian, enjoy their American holiday and await further instruction.

xxxx

Author's Note: The next chapter will be in Jack's POV. By the way, Jack gave Martha his wrist strap to get her off the_ Valiant_, so there is a precedent showing him sacrificing himself to let someone else go free.


	10. Chapter 9

Author's Notes: I still don't own Torchwood. No quotes in this one. Sorry.

xxxx

After they passed customs, they were met by a bunch of men in black - more CIA agents. They quickly noticed that Rex wasn't handcuffed. Two men went to pull out their guns on Rex while another reached for his handcuffs. Jack seized the opportunity and took his gun from under his seat and handed it to Ianto.

Ianto took the gun and pressed it against the face of the nearest CIA agent. "Drop your guns or I shoot," Ianto said in a firm voice.

"I can't die," said the agent.

Ianto said, "That makes it more interesting. I can put you in pain for the rest of your life, which will be a long time. Make your incontinent, mute, paralyse you; it all depends what part of the brain I shoot up. Or I can hit the jackpot and you're incontinent, mute and paralysed."

The agent with the gun to his head cried, "Drop your guns."

The agents didn't drop their guns but stopped what they were doing to turn their heads to stare at the man with the gun at his head. Jack took that moment of indecision to stand then shove the wheelchair toward the closest agent. The agent didn't fall over, but he grabbed his leg in pain. While several agents were shouting, Rex started running, hopefully, to Esther's minivan. Uneek and Jack raced after him.

Jack held his gut, which hurt like Hell fire, but kept on running after Rex. Finally, they got to the curb. Esther had a blue compact car - bright blue - easy to spot on a highway blue. Lovely. Where was the minivan?

Rex hurried into the front seat. After getting in, Uneek left the back door open for Jack. After he was in the car with his legs crammed against him, Jack started mumbling. "Come on Ianto, come on."

A few seconds later, Ianto got in the car and slammed the door shut.

"Hit the gas," yelled Rex.

After they were on the highway, Jack asked, "Where's the minivan?"

"My bank account was compromised," said Esther. "This was all I had."

"Where are Diane and Owen?" asked Rex.

"I gave them my vortex manipulator," said Jack. "They should be near the site of the old Watergate hotel. It was the only coordinates I could think of in Washington, other than the White House and I didn't want them materialising in the Oval Office."

"Space man," said Rex. "You had a teleporter and you didn't tell me."

"It isn't a teleporter." Jack didn't want to sound insulted - not matter how much he was. Rex couldn't be blamed for his ignorance. "It's a vortex manipulator. It basically opens a hole in time and space and you pass through the hole. A teleporter disintegrates a person and reforms them on an atomic level on the other side - an impossibility - thanks to the Heisenberg principle. No one is killed and reformed. A hole opens up and you slip through."

"Thanks for explaining that," said Rex.

"What now?" said Ianto. "You gave them the psychic paper and the vortex manipulator."

"We still have the contact lenses," offered Uneek.

Rex said, "What is psychic paper?"

"What does it matter?" said Ianto. "We don't have any. We need to dump this car. Even the CIA can spot a neon blue car."

"I was thinking the same thing," said Jack.

"We are not dumping my baby," said Esther, patting the drink console.

"You can pick it up later," said Jack.

xxxx

They drove to a rat-infested motel then everyone but Esther got out and Esther drove the car away after being told to park the car at least a few blocks away. Yes, rat-infested. Ianto saw a rat scurry across the bathroom floor. When they were safe in one of the two motels rooms they got - one of the boys and one for the girls, Rex said, "Jack, take off your shirt."

"What!" yelled Jack.

"I've been thinking you were human. That was my fallacy. You aren't human. Not entirely. That's what Owen said," said Rex. "It's only us guys here. Only you aren't a guy. You gave your two best weapons to Owen because you're protecting something or someone."

"He's protecting no one!" shouted Ianto.

Rex clapped then said, "Chivalry isn't dead."

Jack placed a hand on Ianto's shoulder. "Honey, I'll handle this."

Rex said, "You lifted up your tee shirt only part way because you're hiding your breasts,"

"That's insane," said Jack.

Rex got into Jack's face. "Prove me wrong,"

"Fine." Jack placed his coat on one of the two beds then slid down his braces and slowly unbuttoned his shirt. Then he took off his shirt and pulled his tee shirt over his head. "I have man boobs. So what? The United States isn't the only country with an obesity problem."

"Can I touch them?" asked Rex.

"Only Ianto can lick them or suck on them." Jack didn't think he was still making milk, so why not? Besides saying no would make it look like he had something to hide. "But if he doesn't mind, why not?"

"Briefly," said Ianto. "And I watch to make sure you aren't getting too fresh."

Rex tweaked Jack's nipple. "Milk."

"Don't tell anyone." Slightly embarrassed that his milk ducts didn't totally dry up without a baby to suck on them (then Ianto did suck on them once to see what it tasted like), Jack started putting his clothes back on. He already had the tee shirt on and was working on buttoning his shirt. "Even Esther isn't to know."

Rex said, "I'll keep your secret safe for your child's sake."

Jack let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. "Thank you."

"It must be terrible being here in the States with your child in the UK."

Jack looked down at his gut. "How did you know?"

"A two-pound intestinal parasite sounded wrong," said Rex. "But the location of the scar proved it."

Ianto got into Rex's face. "Now what?"

"I won't get between you and your woman," Rex said. "World War 2 is a woman. Who would have thunk?"

"I'm no woman. I'm intersex," said Jack. "And I present as male. You need to respect me and my gender choices. Yes, it's killing me inside that my baby is on the other side of the Pond. I can't even call his caregiver because I don't know if I'm being watched. Too make things worse my hormone levels are dropping rapidly giving me post-partum depression."

Ianto said, "Rex, please, leave."

"I'll see how the ladies are doing." Rex left the room, slamming the door behind him.

Ianto helped Jack into bed, then helped him undress to his tee shirt and pants. Then Ianto climbed in beside him. "I miss Jeremy, too. I know it doesn't help, but he's being well cared for. Soon we'll find whoever asked Lyn to poison you and stop them. This will all be a memory and the three of us will be together."

"It can't be soon enough," said Jack.

"We'll manage. We always do," said Ianto. "It's odd. I'm now the immortal one. And you're mortal."

"The shoe is on the other foot," said Jack.

"I don't like it," said Ianto. "I want it back the way it was."

"I kind of like it," said Jack. "You pushing my wheelchair and protecting me. It's nice."

"We can't have sex for four more weeks, but we can do other things," said Ianto.

"I know I have to heal," said Jack.

Ianto spooned up against Jack. "I can give you a back massage."

"Sounds great," Jack said.

"You should have told me you were suffering from post-partum depression."

"It's only my hormones returning to their normal male levels," said Jack. "It's chemical - part of being mortal."

"You can cry on me." Ianto wrapped his arms around Jack. "We'll get through this together."

"Rex recognised my scar as being from a c-section." Jack wrapped a leg over one of Ianto's legs. "Do you think Lyn noticed?"

"No, I think she was too grossed out," said Ianto, "besides her mind was on getting rid of you when you mentioned morphic fields. Now we all know about morphic fields. I guess we're all on her hit list. It isn't like we haven't been there before."

"We'll get through this together," said Jack.

Ianto put his hands on Jack's shoulders and started massaging his shoulders going in small circles. "Feel good?"


	11. Chapter 10

Author's Notes: I don't own Torchwood. If I did, I wouldn't have killed off all the characters or, if I did, Gwen would go first. :)

xxxx

Jack got up to find Ianto still sleeping in his shirt, tie and trousers. He even had his dress shoes on. He must have took his coat, jacket and waistcoat off while he was massaging Jack's back. Rex was still gone. Rex could stay gone as far as he was concerned. Jack had only promised Rex as far as Esther's car and they had got him to a motel in nowhere Virginia.

Still wearing only his underwear, Jack looked at himself in the full-length wardrobe mirror. He had gotten fat. He was no longer pregnant just fat. An Ace bandage would tie down his man boobs and help cease milk production. His leaky moobs just made him miss Jeremy more. He just wanted to hold Jeremy in his arms. He wanted to bottle feed Jeremy and change his nappy. Still Jeremy was safer where he was. Someone just tried to poison Jack and now Ianto wasn't safe because he also knew about morphic fields.

He would walk and do light exercise until his inside stopped hurting enough that he could do weight baring exercise. The next motel (hotel) needed an indoor pool because water made exercising low-impact. His life could depend on him being able to run fast without holding his gut in pain. Jeremy was Ianto's first child. They needed to get out of the mess they were in and get home to him.

The door opened. It was Rex. Jack got away from the mirror. He couldn't have Rex thinking he was vain. He started dressing. Rex walked over to him while he was putting on his trousers then his braces.

"Honey, I'm sorry about before," said Rex.

"Only Ianto is my honey. You are not." Jack looked out the window at the sunshine then patted Ianto's shoulder. "Sweetheart, get your immortal ass out of bed."

"Oi," said Ianto.

"The sun is shining," said Jack. "And I want to hear some of those Welsh vowels."

Ianto rolled over. "Jet lag. Plane trip. Sleep."

Jack gave him a love tap. "Sleep later. We need to boot up those computers and look for anyone who planned ahead for Miracle Day or is benefiting from Miracle Day. They probably shut down any sites with any information linking Miracle Day to morphic fields, but we can try that, too."

Ianto sat up. "No sex for you."

"I know," said Jack. "Doctor's orders."

Finally, they dragged Ianto into the girl's room to find that Esther had already located a warehouse where Phi Corp has been stocking painkillers for the apocalypse or, perhaps, more likely Miracle Day. Jack also took an interest in Osward Danes, a child molester and murder that was hitting the talk show circuit. Rex told him Danes was nothing - no one.

Jack then pointed out that it wasn't what Danes knew it was that Danes was making waves and the Miracle Day people would most likely take an interest in him that made Danes useful.

While they leaving a warehouse that was bigger in the inside than on the outside packed with drugs, Jack's cell phone rang. "Captain Harkness speaking."

"It's Owen," said a soft voice on the phone. "May I speak to Rex?"

Jack handed Rex the phone. "It's for you."

"Rex," said Owen. "May I speak to Dr Juarez? Do you trust her?"

Rex said, "As much as I trust anyone. We need all the allies we can get." The phone went dead. Rex handed Jack back the phone. "That was odd."

"Owen is odd," said Jack. "Nothing new there."

"Owen speaks Weevil," said Ianto. "I would catch him by Janet's cell. Janet and Owen would be singing the same song for hours. Owen's a bit touched if you ask me."

"Weevils?" asked Rex.

Uneek said, "Cardiff's special type of sewer rat."

Rex said, "I don't get it."

Ianto tapped Rex's shoulder. "So back to the computers? Or food?"

Esther said, "Food sounds good."

xxxx

After getting the OK from Rex, Owen went over to the medical conference where Dr Vera Juarez was and waited by the door for her to leave for the day. Diane was talking aeroplanes with the museum staff when Owen left her. They would meet up later.

Owen spotted a tall brunette in a lab coat. "Are you Dr Juarez?"

"Who wants to know?" asked the woman.

"I'm Dr Owen Harper," explained Owen. "We have a patient in common, Rex Matheson."

Vera walked along side him. "Yes, he mentioned you."

"He did?" Owen's ears perked up.

"Said you're a brilliant surgeon," said Vera. "His chest is healing nicely because of you."

"Your stitches would have held if Rex didn't disobey doctor's orders and took that trans-Atlantic trip of his. I found him pointing a gun at innocent civilians and dripping blood all over my friend's pawn shop."

"Dr Martha Smith told me," said Vera. "Let's go somewhere and talk."

"You pick the restaurant," said Owen. "I'm new to Washington. This is my first time in the Colonies."

"What kind of food do you like?" asked Vera while walking away from the convention centre.

"I can't eat a lot, but I like to sample," Owen explained. "I wasn't able to eat for over two years, so now that I'm eating again I like to taste different things - experience new foods."

"Can you do spicy?" She stopped walking.

"I'm healthy. It's psychological." Owen rolled up his jumper sleeve to show Vera's his arm. "I'm not too slender, so I don't worry about it."

"Tapas," said Vera.

"Sure." After Owen unrolled his sleeve, he let Vera take the lead because she knew where they were going.

After they were seated in the back of a small Spanish restaurant, Vera ordered the wine. "What do you want to talk about?"

"Me, Miracle Day," said Owen. "You know Rex didn't sell secrets to anybody. He was set up."

"Dangerous talk," said Vera.

"Let's drink our Sangria and whisper," said Owen.

Vera nodded.

A waiter poured their drinks. "Ladies, I'll give you a moment to look over your menus."

"Thanks," said Owen.

After the waiter left, Vera took a sip of her wine. "Rex told me you were gay."

"I have a girlfriend," said Owen. "This is a business dinner, not a date. If that is what you're worried about."

Vera drank a bit more. "What does Miracle Day have to do with you?"

"Nothing," said Owen. "I wasn't affected. Everyone's affected but me. Odd, don't you think?"

"Not affected."

Owen took a sip of wine. "You don't believe me. A friend of mine has a lab. Private, safe. You can take a blood sample. My lymphocytes won't be dancing around in the cell culture. Dr Smith's were dancing 15 minutes later."

"You sure of this?" asked Vera.

"Tested my blood earlier. Dr Smith's blood: they dance and dance. Mine: they just lie there."

"You're mortal?" Vera wanted confirmation.

"Yes, totally." Owen drank some more wine. "Here I am in this crowded foreign city and no one can see how different I am from them. I'm the same as I was yesterday and the day before, but now I feel broken."

"Why didn't you eat for two years?" asked Vera.

"I was dead," said Owen. "I'm alive now, aren't I?"

Vera touched Owen's hand. "May I?"

"I won't tell my girlfriend if you don't."

Vera took his hand. "Nice hands."

"Thanks. You have nice hands, too." Owen drank more wine, thinking he should have invited Diane, but she insisted he do his Torchwood business alone. "What else did Rex say about me?"

"That you gave him a sponge bath and told him stories. Dr Smith just sat in the room and read her book. You treated him like a patient when everyone else in Torchwood treated him like a prisoner."

"You know about Torchwood," said Owen.

"Not really," said Vera. "You're some secret organization that hides in a pawn shop. Rex didn't say what you do."

Owen tapped his nails on the table. "Fight aliens."

"Really?" Vera's eyes got wider. "Wow."

"We saved the world a couple times," said Owen. "But mostly we just clean up messes. The first time we saved the world we were cleaning up a mess I caused, not my proudest moment." If Owen had to do it again, it would have let Jack and Tosh stay in the past. Tosh would have been safe from Grey in the past. Then hind-sight is 20/20.

Vera laughed.

Owen laughed in spite of himself. "Dr Owen Harper, destroyer of Earth. Not the least bit funny."

Vera raised her glass. "Earth is still here, so we can laugh."

"I'm going to save the world, again. But this time I didn't cause the mess."

"You tell me your lymphocytes don't live on after they leave your body. How do I know you didn't cause this?"

"I'm as clueless as you," said Owen. "You just have to believe me on that."

"I'm taking a lot on faith." Vera ordered for them both. After plates of meatballs, some shrimp and stuffed mushrooms arrived, Vera said in a hushed voice, "Can you, at least, tell me why you aren't affected by Miracle Day?"

"Sure," said Owen. "The morphic field that kept me animated when my body was dead is still affecting me. I suppose the two morphic fields interfere with each other or the closer one blocks the one that is further away. I really don't know."

"You were dead?" asked Vera.

"For over two years." Owen put a shrimp on his plate but didn't eat it. "A morphic field kept me animated. Since I didn't eat, drink or breathe; all my energy needs were fulfilled by this morphic field. I still don't eat enough for my energy needs, so that field is still keeping me alive."

"Amazing," said Vera.

Owen put the shrimp on his fork, He placed the shrimp in his mouth, chewed and, finally, swallowed it. "It's a bit peppery, but good."

"I've heard the British diet is bland."

"You've heard wrong," said Owen. "We eat a lot of Indian take-away. My wife makes this curry sauce with limes and coconut milk. She's a pilot, so she isn't home for dinner much, but she leaves it in take-away boxes for me."

Vera smiled at Owen before taking another meatball. "Is she your wife or girlfriend?"

"We've lived together for almost 2 years now, so wife without the paper or the strings."

"You have the right idea," said Vera. "Divorce is expensive and my ex-husband still bothers me for sex and drugs."

"You tell him no," said Owen.

Vera smiled. "Sometimes."

They ate the rest of their dinner then went their separate ways. Owen met Diane at the hotel. "How did it go?" she asked.

"I think we have an ally," Owen said as he undressed for bed.


	12. Chapter 11

Author's Note: I still don't own Torchwood. BBC does.

xxxx

The following day, Owen decided to go the medical conference to find out anything he could. Shopping at 5 am was so American. His white nursing shoes did not go with everything according to Diane.

"But they're comfortable," he had said while they were looking at oversized items on the Walmart shelves. This must have been what Diane felt like when she shouted bananas.

She threw a pair of black shoes the same style as his white ones in the cart. "Now you have nursing shoes in black and white. You're no longer cleaning hospital rooms. White nursing shoes are not part of your work uniform."

"My loafers are still in Flat Holm." Owen looked at the wrist strap Jack gave him. "I could hop over and get them right now if I knew how to operate this thing."

"You bought yourself a shiny new German car," said Diane. "You can afford American shoes made in China."

"Fine," said Owen. "Are you also going to pick out what trousers and blouse I'm going to wear to this conference?"

"You're a big boy," said Diane. "You can buy your own clothes."

"Thanks, Mummy," Owen stuck out his tongue. "While we're in the States, we have to rely on my salary from Torchwood."

"I can hustle billiards," teased Diane.

"It would give you something to do while I'm mingling with Phi Corp." Owen got a couple pairs of Walmart trousers in his size then started looking at the blouses. "We shall go to Bloomies or some other real store tonight. So I'll just get a couple things here." Bloomies, Macy's, JC Penney, etc. So many stores to choose from.

"I'm saving my money for Macy's," said Diane.

They ended up with one blouse for Owen to wear today, two pairs of trousers, the black shoes Diane picked out and junk food for the hotel room and a couple of kiddie barrettes Owen liked.

At the hotel Owen changed into his new clothes. He brushed out his still short but growing hair and put the barrettes in. He limited his make-up to lip gloss because the re-circulated air could make his lips crack. He put on a jacket because conference buildings tend to be cool for all the men in business suits.

"You dressed like a girl for the CIA goons," said Diane. "Phi Corp may not hire a non-binary person."

"Their loss," said Owen.

"You need to get in for Torchwood," said Diane.

"They hire me for me or not at all." Owen took one barrette out of his hair and put it on the hotel table. Two barrettes may be overdoing the cute. "I tried the 'Jellied Eels' approach and it nearly got me killed. I go in as me."

xxxx

He sat next to Vera doing their coffee break. Since she didn't appear to recognise him or was ignoring him, he said, "Hullo, a friendly face."

"Do I know you?" she asked.

"Last night's dinner," said Owen.

She put her coffee mug down. "Owen?"

"I didn't pack much more than the clothes on my back," admitted Owen. "So I'm wearing the Walmart collection this morning since there isn't much open before 9 o'clock. I'm usually better dressed."

She frowned at him. "You lied about your sex. What else did you lie about?"

Owen leaned close to her to whisper. "What I said last night could potentially harm me." Owen wouldn't say kill him where there could be eavesdroppers - virtual or otherwise - when he was suppose to be immortal like everyone else. "Why would I lie about that?"

She huffed.

Owen sipped his coffee. "It isn't Ianto's but it will do."

"Ianto?" asked Vera.

"He's our secretary," said Owen. "He comes to work looking like he stepped off the cover of GQ. He's a tossbag, but he makes great coffee."

"I'm not speaking to you," said Vera.

Owen looked at his cheese pastry. "I could use a friend here."

"You don't lie to friends."

Touching the barrette in his hair styled to resemble a pixie cut, Owen said, "Look at me."

"Owen, I'm sorry." Vera touched his hand. "I heard the deep voice and I didn't look at your hair and clothes. I did, but what I am trying to say is. You know how you can see something and not see it at the same time."

Owen nodded.

Vera put her hands around her coffee mug. "I looked at your jacket, shirt and slacks when you commented about Walmart, but it didn't register that you bought them in the ladies department."

"I didn't get this jacket in Walmart," said Owen. "It's real leather - I'll have you know."

"You want to impress these people. Walmart will so not do."

"Diane and I are going to Macy's tonight," said Owen. "You're invited to come."

Owen didn't need Macy's. His resume alone got him in with the Phi Corp people. If everything checked out, he would be heading an overflow camp in Wales. They must have loved that he was made head of a chronic care facility at the age of 29 because they gave him everything he asked for including a salary higher than the one he was still getting from Torchwood. As soon as they returned to Wales, Owen contacted Rhiannon.

They meet in an motel room. Jeremy grew a lot in 14 days and no longer resembled a mole rat. He had spiky dark brown hair, the bluest eyes and Jack's dimples. He would be stealing hearts when he grew up. Owen, finally, called Jack.

"I'm with Jeremy," said Owen. "What now?"

"You wrap the wrist strap around Jeremy," said Jack.

"I am not sending a baby through a time vortex alone," said Owen.

Jack said, "Give the phone to Rhiannon unless you want to visit LA."

Instead of giving the phone to Rhiannon, Owen put the phone on speaker. "I did enough travelling by time vortex. Rhiannon can go, besides I can't be late for my first day of work."

Mica said, "Can I come?"

"Me, too," said David.

Johnny said, "We're not going to Los Angeles."

Jack said on speaker. "You put the baby on a table and follow my instructions. He will be perfectly safe."

Owen set the vortex manipulator according to Jack's instructions then wrapped it around the baby's waist. The baby vanished in a hole in space/time.

Jack called a moment later. "We have him."

Ianto took the phone. "Sis, what have you been feeding him? Lard?"

Rhiannon said, "Yes, I've been feeding him lard."

xxxx

Author's Note: I know the lard line belongs to Mary Cooper, Gwen's mum. But I couldn't help myself. :)


	13. Chapter 12

Author's Note: I don't own Torchwood.

xxxx

Soon after Owen was settled into his new job, he called Vera. "I want you to check out some of the American overflow camps. Jack says two buildings in the Los Angeles one are blocked from the GPS. Use your contacts at Washington to get in."

"Blocked out?" asked Vera.

"They don't show up on GPS, but are there," said Owen. "That strikes me as odd. You with your private insurance are making companies like Phi Corp rich. They wouldn't dare do anything underhanded in UK. No profit in it."

"How are you doing?" asked Vera.

"Not good," said Owen. "We only just opened. We have fewer than 200 patients and there is already a typhoid epidemic. The camp is under quarantine. With the quarantine, the military isn't letting anyone out, but the buses are still arriving from hospitals."

"Have fun," said Vera.

"Right now I have a mountain of paperwork that I'm actively avoiding," teased Owen.

"I'll leave you to your paperwork," said Vera. "Good luck."

"You, too," said Owen, hanging up the phone. At least, he didn't have to worry about leading Vera to her death. No one can die. Not even Cat 1 patients. All he, Dr. Patel and the nursing staff could do was make them comfortable until it was decided when or if to use the ovens.

Owen didn't like the ovens, but people still burned making it better than burying people quote alive. Owen didn't consider anyone Cat 1 unless they were in a permanent vegetative state. Other people weren't as strict on what they considered Cat 1 (dead) to be. No ovens were to be fired up until the higher ups gave the word. In a sick way, Owen had hoped that aliens or something were using Earth's immortal energy for their own good. That he could say the reason behind Miracle Day was this or that. But he found no easy answers so far. Just a bunch of overworked people like himself doing their best in an awful situation.

The front desk called about the buses.

Owen repeated himself. "No one with AIDS or other conditions that weaken the immune system are allowed in."

The front desk person complained. "The military is talking quotas."

Owen answered, "Sorry. They can stay in the buses for all I care. We are under quarantine here."

"They are taking the patients off the buses."

"Then they are to stay outside the camp. Have the nurses in the waiting area do triage, but they aren't allowed in the camp until quarantine is over," said Owen. "I would go over there and talk to the military myself but I've treated enough typhoid patients to be a walking biological weapon. Tell the nurses no antibiotics. We don't need to create killer diseases."

"We're immortal," said the clerk.

"Our livestock and the natural flora and fauna aren't," said Owen. "Microbes change and adapt. We don't need some killer disease getting bored with us and killing off the cattle."

"No antibiotics and no one with depressed immune systems inside the camp," said the clerk.

After he got off the phone with the front desk, Owen went to see to the patients. All he could really do was hand out Ibuprofen to bring fevers down. A high fever could cause brain damage and brain damage made a Cat 2 a Cat 1. Owen wanted to get the Cat 2's well enough to leave. He only had so much storage for Cat 1's and he was still a doctor and wanted to heal the best he could. Owen sat with a lady delirious from fever and held her hand.

Owen didn't have a face mask on because he wanted the lady to see his face. At that moment, he didn't care that he was mortal and could die, besides he was already covered in typhoid germs and whatever else was in this camp. While he was helping lower fevers and sitting with patients, his mobile rang.

"A lorry full of babies pulled into the camp," explained the desk clerk.

"Babies?" asked Owen.

"I don't know if they were miscarriages or abortions," said the clerk. "But the lorry driver is treating them like they were yesterday's rubbish. Not human beings."

"I'll be right there," said Owen, thinking of Jeremy, who went from looking like a naked mole rat to a handsome boy in less than a fortnight. These babies may have started life as waste, but they were human beings now and needed to be treated as such. "I want you to find a neonatalist and get him here. Pay him my salary if necessary. I'll work for free if we can save one baby."

"Got it," said the desk clerk.

Owen gave his patient's chart to a nurse then put on his mask. He then ran to the front desk. The camp was still only a bunch of tents. No permanent structure even the crematoriums were portables. The Cat 1's at this point were in a tent. Owen would light the crematoriums himself when they were given the word. His camp - his rules. Owen couldn't waste his limited nursing staff on Cat 1's. As much as he hated the concept, dead was dead.

A nurse was with the babies.

Owen said, "Triage. No brain, no heart and/or no lungs equals dead. Everything else we can save." Or the neonatalist would make that call when they got one.

The nurse said, "Yes, doctor."

The desk clerk said, "The last abortion would be on Miracle Day nearly three weeks ago. The lorry driver must have been caring for these babies in that time."

"Then the good Samaritan already weeded out the babies that were cut into pieces," said the nurse. "Or she felt she couldn't nurse to health for other reasons."

Owen started doing vitals on the babies. Finally, they were able to move them to their own tent. Owen called a friend who built caretaker robots and ordered a couple at cost. Human caretakers were best, but he needed to do what he could. He would have to assemble the robots himself. They were built in an Korean factory. Hopefully, the instructions weren't in Korean.

The robots would be shipped overnight. Until then, it was Owen and a couple nurses. The military, finally, understood what quarantine meant and moved the immune-compromised patients to another overflow camp that wasn't under-quarantine and accepting all patients. Although Owen was under 30 with a strong healthy immune system, he still wore a face mask while examining the premature babies. All but two were Cat 2. One Cat 1 had part of the brain missing and the other had a number of missing or malformed organs. 12 healthy babies - an even dozen.

He called Diane to tell her he was trapped at the overflow camp because no one could break quarantine by leaving. Even the desk clerks had to set up camp. The quarantine ended in two days with Owen having to cremate a pallet of typhoid-infected Cat 1's. Owen nearly cried as much as he did when he put the space manatee to sleep. He phoned Phi Corp and did everything by procedure, but it still hurt. Spending time with the babies made him feel better. Healthy beautiful babies. Owen could hold them in his arms and bottle feed them all night.

xxxx

With the quarantine over, Owen was showing a government social worker the babies. He explained, "As far as anyone knows, a lorry driver found the babies in a rubbish bin and took them home. She took good care of them. They were well-fed and with no sores or rashes - outside of the scars caused by their traumatic births."

"Ah-uh," said the social worker.

"My wife and I would be interested in fostering a couple children," Owen explained. He would take them all home if Diane allowed it, but Diane had said two children and a robot nanny to help care for them. "We've been together for over 2 years and have no children of our own."

"They do look well cared for," said the social worker.

While they were doing paperwork, the first buses came in. Owen made his apologizes to the social worker and headed to the car park. The military also knew they were no longer under quarantine and was no longer directing traffic away. The ambulance driver for one hospital was no other than Rhys. Owen wanted to run over and hug him, but he wasn't sure if he remembered him. Martha could have lied about them not being retconned to make him feel better.

Owen kept his distance, forcing Rhys ran over to him. "Dr. Harper, they tell me you're the man in charge."

"I am," said Owen.

Rhys gave him his paperwork. "I need you to sign this."

"Don't you drive lorries?" asked Owen.

"You go where the work is," said Rhys. "Everything is helter-skelter right now. You seemed to turn out OK."

"You know me. I'm like a cat - always landing on my feet. How's the little one?"

"Anwen is growing like a weed," said Rhys.

Owen signed the paperwork. "Everything seems to be in order. Diane is limited to spraying crops and giving flying lessons for the duration. Has Gwen gone back to police work?"

"Still doing the full-time mum thing," said Rhys.

"You aren't against her working?" said Owen.

Rhys took the clip board back. "You can't tell Gwen anything. She has a mind of her own."

"That she does." Owen smiled.

Rhys walked away. Owen knew by their talk that Rhys remembered something of what happened, but Owen didn't know if the retcon didn't hold or if Rhys was never retconned. For Anwen's safety, they needed to act as if they were retconned. Owen understood that.


	14. Chapter 13

Author's Note: Torchwood belongs to BBC who is too fond of killing off characters.

xxxx

Owen spent the next few minutes talking to the social worker about the babies, especially fostering two of them and what that would detail. Then he oversaw getting the new patients settled. Tents in the middle of nowhere were not his ideal hospital. Two doctors, a dozen nurses, about 20 nurse's aides weren't much of a staff. At least, the two robots, Cubby and Kitten, did all the fetching and carrying, so human beings could hold patients' hands and sit with them. The nurses named the first one Cubby because it was a medicine cabinet on wheels. Then the other one got named Kitten. So much of Owen's suggestion of Thing One and Thing Two.

A few days later, Esther called, "Owen, you need to see this youtube video." She gave him the URL. "You aren't going to be in trouble talking to me."

"No, they hired me knowing I worked for Torchwood and, most likely, am spying for them. Just know everything you say to me, you say to them," Owen explained.

"They won't kill you over it," said Esther.

"It's the chance I take," said Owen. "I'm saving lives here. I'm making a real difference. My work means something."

"See the video," said Esther. "And call me where Phi Corp can't listen in."

After the night shift arrived, Owen, with his paperwork in his bag, took Jorden and Bryce to his car. They were well enough to go home. Diane would just have to make due with no robot nanny for, at least, a few days. Using a hands-free device, Owen called Esther. "I haven't seen the video, but I'm in my car."

"It isn't bugged?" asked Esther.

"I did work for Torchwood," said Owen. "I check these things. I suppose it could be tonight. I have Jorden and Bryce in their carseats. I'm pretty excited about taking my babies home, so I wasn't as thorough as usual."

"Did you adopt them?" asked Esther.

"Just fostering for now," said Owen.

"Good luck with the babies," said Esther.

"It's Diane I'm worried about," said Owen. "I made the decision to foster without her. With my hours at the overflow camp and there not being much call for private flights with the political climate, she'll be the one at home most of the time."

"Good luck with Diane then," said Esther.

"I couldn't walk away from the babies. I needed to do more than give them a clean bill of health and send them on their way."

"I'm that way with my nieces," said Esther.

"You look at their little faces and into those blue blue eyes and you fall in love," said Owen. "I didn't know if I could feel that way about anyone but."

"I know what you mean." Esther sighed. "Jeremy is so adorable. Makes me almost want one of my own. Well, we needed to get a hand print and retina scan off this gentleman. I needed to pretend to be Jack's wife because we couldn't teach Ianto an American accent. Him mispronouncing his vowels was just too funny."

Owen smiled. "I wish I was there."

"We had the man hold our mug and look at a picture of Jeremy. I put the Iphone right into the man's face and got a great picture of his retina."

They talked about the computer Jack was stealing when Esther nearly got them all killed by talking to child protection services and getting nowhere with Phi Corp. It seemed the big bad corporation was getting orders from someone bigger and badder. This bigger something didn't have a name, yet, but they would find out what it is.

Ianto and Jeremy were taking the next flight home and were in the air as they spoke. If Diane kicked Owen out, he could move in with Ianto and they could do a reality show about two men caring for three premature babies. Torchwood USA was now Jack, Uneek, Rex and Esther.

"No Vera?" asked Owen.

"Watch the video," said Esther. "After seeing Ianto with a gun, I have trouble viewing him as a secretary."

"Are you going back to fact checking after this is over?" asked Owen.

"I would love a desk job about now," said Esther.

"I'm sure Ianto feels the same way," said Owen. "He can bring Jeremy to the office with him."

When Owen got home, Diane was asleep but him taking the babies' carseats into the house woke her. "Tomorrow, I'll buy them cots, but tonight they need to sleep in their carseats."

"Two babies and no robot nanny," said Diane.

"You can order one." Owen looked at the two babies sleeping in their carseats on the living room floor. "You know how to use the Internet. Jorden has the blond hair and Bryce has dark brown hair. I'll sleep on the sofa tonight, so I can tend to the babies without waking you."

Diane stared at him. "Their crying will wake me."

"We're fostering them," said Owen. "Someone could adopt them tomorrow or the next day."

Diane shook her head. "One could hope."

"Two of my nurses followed my example and are also fostering two children each. Another agreed to one child. We still have 5 child in the camp awaiting for homes."

"I didn't agree to the children," said Diane.

"You can leave or stay, but if you stay, you will not sabotage the home visit." Sitting on the sofa, Owen kicked his favourite loafers off his feet. Then he took off his jacket and removed his tie. "I hope you love me enough to stay."

"Just lie on the guilt." Diane took a seat next to him, removed his socks and started rubbing his feet. "Long day?"

"It's painkillers, fever reducers, holding hands and praying," said Owen. "Jorden and Bryce are like flowers in the desert. I need them and they need me."

"They stay for now," said Diane.

Owen kissed her cheek. "Thank you."

The next day, Owen and Diane got everything they needed for the nursery. Diane was getting into the spirit of things when they were buying nappies and cute little pyjamas - all the smallest size the store carried. People would stop them at the mall to smile at the babies.

"My husband comes home with two babies," said Diane. "Most people have nine months to plan. I got less than a week."

"Spouse," corrected Owen.

"Sorry, sweetie," said Diane.

"A lot of people have trouble with pronouns for genderqueer people," said Owen. "Love, I appreciate that you try. You flew planes when it was unheard of for women to fly. Just don't make everything about the children sex. They are children first - a girl and a boy second."

Owen thought of Jorden first because she was the first baby he changed the nappy of. Bryce was like fifth or sixth. Most late term abortions were cut out of the womb in pieces; that made Jorden extremely lucky to be alive. The poor thing probably survived being salted out. They were truly Miracle Day miracles.

If they could find the lorry driver, they would still need the records of who had a late term abortion that day. Owen didn't want to find Jorden's mother. Did her mother know that her aborted foetus was born alive? If she did, then she was guilty of abandonment. Jorden was obviously delivered whole, that meant her mother was forced to go through labour. Her mother must have known.

However, Bryce was smaller and no one might have noticed that he was alive until later. Was the lorry driver asked to take the live babies away no questions asked? The social worker could think rubbish bin. But the health of the babies said differently. They were his children now until the state found permanent homes for them.

Before Owen returned to work, he made sure that Diane was comfortable taking care of the babies and could operate the robot nanny. The nanny understood spoken English and could feed, change and wash the babies. She could also rock and soothe them, but she wasn't a human caregiver and leaving the babies with her and going out was like putting the children in front of the telly and leaving. The nanny was to assist Diane - not replace her.

Owen then said, "You can call Rhiannon or Ianto for help." While in his car on the way to work, Owen realised he still hadn't watched the video Esther asked him to view. Using his hands-free device, Owen called Vera and left a message on her voice mail. 


	15. Chapter 14

Author's Note: I don't own Torchwood. BBC does.

xxxx

Soon after the morning drop off of new patients from the local hospitals, Gwen came to Owen's office. She didn't have Anwen in her arms - one point off for her. In his lab coat, shirt, tie, trousers and favourite (worn to the sole) loafers, Owen looked very much like the man who told Gwen that he tormented people in happy relationship for fun. Still annoyed by her letting him believe she was retconned, Owen was going to give her a taste of her own medicine. "Miss, may I help you?"

"Owen, how can you work in a concentration camp? And you lectured Jack on his morals," said Gwen.

"Ma'am." Owen looked at her visitor badge. "Miss Cooper, I'm sorry you don't approve of the emergency legislation regarding the Categories of Life. But this is hardly a concentration camp, but you're free to picket or stand on your soap box. Just do it outside the gate. Do you have another reason to see me or do you need to be escorted out?"

"Owen, don't play stupid. You talked to my husband yesterday. He drives one of the ambulances."

Owen looked at her name badge, again. "Sorry, no Cooper."

"Rhys Williams," said Gwen. "And you were discussing whether I should return to police work."

"So you're his Gwen." Owen shouldn't have continued to lie to Gwen, but she called his overflow camp a concentration camp, hurting his pride. He was in charge, and although it wasn't much, it was his. Did she know he needed to burn the infected Cat 1's to prevent a possible typhoid outbreak? He did what was needed to protect the public health. Surely, she must know that.

"So how do you know my husband?" asked Gwen.

"He lost a lorry driver delivering some meat that had what was found out to have fake government inspections," Owen explained like Gwen didn't already know the story. "Things must have went sour because Mr Williams needed me to remove a bullet from his shoulder. We got to talking and he was pretty excited about you having some special ops position. I remembered him all these years later because he smelled horrid."

"You don't remember anything else," said Gwen.

Owen was enjoying himself by now. "Not really. The time after my fiancée died is kind of foggy. I was a new resident back then and I was working 48 hours shifts, so with the grief and lack of sleep, you know how it is."

Gwen sat on one of the folding chairs then put a hand over Owen's hand. "Owen, you were given an amnesia pill."

"It's Dr Harper." Owen pulled his hand away from hers. "Ma'am, you're married. Can I help you with anything else?"

"My father came in this morning."

"His name?" Owen looked at his papers since someone that came in this morning may not be entered into the computer files.

"Geraint Cooper," said Gwen.

Owen found him in the paperwork then put his name into the computer. "He's Cat 2 with the other geriatric patients. You can sit by his bed. I'm sorry that we don't have all the amenities of a regular hospital, but we do what we can."

"May I take him home?" asked Gwen.

"I don't see why not." Owen stood up and took her arm. "This way, Ma'am."

"You really don't remember me," said Gwen.

"Everything is you you you. You could have me and Rhys, but I show interest in another woman and I'm the tossbag."

"Owen, you've made your point." Gwen followed him across a field to a series of tents. They then went inside the biggest one.

"Have I? Rhys is forced to drive an ambulance for pence because his business can't get enough orders to stay afloat because the economy is fucked. And you're too good to go back to police work."

Owen helped Gwen get her father into a wheelchair and took him to her awaiting car. While they were helping Geraint to his seat he had a heart attack. Owen said, "You can drive him to hospital, but he'll just end up back here."

"I can make him just as comfortable at home," said Gwen.

"Go take care of your father," said Owen. "Just because I rather not see your face, again, doesn't mean I don't wish you luck."

Gwen waved good-bye to Owen before she started her car with her father in the passenger seat. That night, Owen finally watched the video of Vera while caring for the babies. While giving Jorden a bottle, he cried and cried. No wonder Gwen practically called him a murderer for working at the camps.

The crematoriums in California were illegal but that didn't make Vera's death any less real. All the crematoriums were supposed to be able to be opened from the inside, so no one conscious could be accidentally burned alive. Did the company that made the locks goof up or did Phi Corp design them that way, so they could burn their enemies? Owen needed to know the truth, but at the same time, he didn't want to be the next person to burn.

Just when he thought life couldn't get any better, Ianto came into his house with Jeremy in a pram. Ianto then dropped a carry-on bag most likely full of baby things onto the floor. "I need you to watch Jeremy for a few days."

"Ianto, sit down." Owen was bouncing Bryce on his knee. "And talk slowly."

Ianto didn't take a seat but continued to stand. "They threatened Jeremy, Diane and your children if I don't bring Jack to them."

"Bryce is a bit colic, so you need to bounce him or he cries," explained Owen. "Do you know who these people are?"

"No," said Ianto.

"Then they could be blowing smoke."

"They knew enough about you and me to be scary," explained Ianto. "Tell work you have an infection and you don't want to pass your germs onto your patients. Please, you have to do this."

"They threatened Diane and the children?" Owen asked looking at his baby boy.

Ianto nodded.

"I just took time off to set up the nursery," said Owen. "But I'll call in sick under one condition."

"Name it," said Ianto.

"You watch my children when you get back, so I can work."

"Any time and thank you." With that, Ianto left.

After giving Bryce to the nanny, Owen picked up Jeremy and checked his nappy. Diane was going to rent a hotel room after she found out they now had three babies.


	16. Chapter 15

Author's note: I still don't own Torchwood.

xxxx

A few days after Esther's video of Vera being burned alive went viral, a hiatus was called on cremation. Owen was also told not to report back to work. He could come by to collect his things any time. It was nothing to do with his job performance; it was purely political. They needed to let go of anyone in the overflow camps that lit a crematorium. Owen said he understood. How was he going to tell Diane?

He called Mickey to tell him that he would be reporting back to Torchwood as soon as he found reliable child care.

Mickey said, "You're watching Jeremy for us. You're still on our payroll. Don't worry. Take as long as you need."

"Torchwood Cardiff is just you with Martha at Flat Holm," said Owen. "Are you sure?"

"I'm just collecting any alien artefacts that comes our way," said Mickey. "If we have Weevil trouble, I'll be sure to call the King of the Weevils first. It's very quiet here."

"First sign of Weevils, you call me," said Owen.

"Will do," said Mickey. "You still wearing girly clothes?"

"I was never into girly clothes, so to speak." Owen smiled a second. "I like bows, ribbons, lipstick and nail polish. Why should women get to wear all the pretty shit?"

"Doesn't that make you Queen of the Weevils?" said Mickey.

"You're so funny that I forgot to laugh," said Owen.

"Can you teach me Weevil?"

"You can't teach it to someone. They're weak telepaths. They either talk to you or they don't. Did you ever read Ted Chiang's_ Story of Your Life_? Speaking the language changes your view on the universe."

"Are you telling me you're a telepath?"

Owen laughed. "I can't read humans only Weevils if that's what you're worried about." He was a bit of an empath, which the next person holding the hands of Cat 1's wouldn't be. Phi Corp's loss. He didn't ask to be fired. If he paid attention, he could feed, change or burp a baby before they got irritated enough to cry. He also recognised Bryce's colic from Jorden's boredom.

"You get nothing from humans?"

"Mickey, I'm King of the Weevils. I don't want to hear human thoughts. If other humans are half as fucked up as me, I'd be twice as insane as I already am."

"I sorry that you were let go."

"It's OK. They will hired me back if the political climate changes." What hurts was they would have fired Owen if he didn't light the oven and a couple weeks later he's fired for lighting it. He rather be known for not lighting it. Owen made the wrong choice, again. The story of his life.

xxxx

After he told Diane that he lost his job and wasn't looking for a new one, Diane packed her things took her car and left. So much for forever. Then she never agreed to one child. Three babies was out of the question.

Ianto came back in a few days as promised. He explained, "I'll watch your children as promised, but Jack needs Martha, meaning you need to return to Flat Holm."

"Jack always needs Martha." Jack was always insulting Owen's medical know how. "They can talk about how beautiful the Doctor is and gossip like schoolgirls without me."

"You're Jack's back-up. We can't have you two in the same room. One bomb and you're both gone. Owen, think a second." Ianto took Jeremy into his arms then sat on Owen's sofa. "On that note, The Families have been using Jack's blood. And there is something called the Blessing, but we don't know what it is yet. In the meanwhile, you need to start collecting your own blood. Refrigerate it. You're a doctor. You know how much you can collect safely."

"I need to work in Flat Holm and collect my own blood," said Owen. "This is so fucked up."

"I'll watch the children while you work," said Ianto. "Free. You won't get a better deal."

"Diane is gone," said Owen. "It's just me now."

"What happened?" asked Ianto.

"Three children was too much." Owen laughed. "One child was too much. Who am I fooling?"

"I'm sorry."

"Diane's a free spirit that likes having a genderqueer lover. She was with a married man before me. Children aren't in her game plan."

Ianto brought Jeremy to eye level and looked into those blue eyes. "Children weren't in my plans either and now. Who is my beautiful boy? You are. Total and complete love - that's what you are."

A days, weeks and months went by with Ianto sharing the house with Owen and the children. Ianto kept to himself, cleaned up after himself and the children and did more in the kitchen than make great coffee. Not that Ianto didn't make great coffee. With work, the children and siphoning off a pint of blood every few days; Owen would have been lying in his own filth if it wasn't for the robot nanny and Ianto.

Ianto must have taken a nutrition class or something because he made Owen lots of greens and cooked just enough red meat to replenish his iron but not too much that he made his kidneys go into overtime. Ianto wasn't a bad roommate all totalled. On the weekends and the nights Owen was home, Owen watched the children, so Ianto could have some baby free time.

Phi Corp called his mobile while Owen was at work, telling him he had his job back. After he was above ground and had cell service, again, Owen phoned back. "Sorry. I returned to my previous situation. You snooze, you lose."

xxxx

Ianto called Jack regularly. The call went through several cell towers, so it couldn't be traced easily. Rex and Esther were back with the CIA with the leak found and their records cleared. They also now knew the Blessing was in Shanghai. And that Jilly Kitzinger was also in Buenos Aries, which could be significant. After Ianto got off the phone, Owen showed Ianto an antique globe that Diane left behind.

"No more USSR and half the countries in Africa have the wrong names, but look at this." Owen showed Ianto the globe. "Buenos Aries and Shanghai are on opposite sides of the world. Phi Corp's logo can also be seen as a line cutting across a globe. Tell Jack next time you talk that we need blood at both points."

Ianto nodded.

Owen went to the fridge to get more formula. Bryce and Jorden needed their bottles. While he was heating the formula on the cooker, Owen said, "After we give our blood to the Blessing, Jack and I will both be dead. I need you to promise you'll see to my children. Find them good homes."

"You scared?" asked Ianto.

"Of living sometimes. Not dying. When I was dead before, I felt Duroc. He won't bother me, again. Death will be peaceful."

Ianto stood in the kitchen with Jeremy in his arms. "It doesn't bother you."

"I won't lie. I would prefer to live long enough to see Jorden and Bryce grow up, but Duroc killed 12 people and I helped save 12 babies from certain death. I've evened the score."


	17. Chapter 16

Author's Note: The plot bunnies are multiplying. The story isn't tying up as fast as I thought. And I still don't own Torchwood.

xxxx

A few days later, Martha arrived at Owen's office. Her eyes were blood-shot from crying. "I'm here to collect my things in case anyone is watching me leave." Martha sat down on Owen's extra chair.

"You can use my tissues," said Owen.

Martha twisted the tissues in her hands as she talked. "I went out to buy groceries and when I got back Jack was dead and his blood was gone."

"You can use my blood," said Owen.

"What are you going to use?" asked Martha.

"I'll wait long enough for my reserves to be full and I'll cut open a vein," explained Owen.

"You can't," said Martha.

"I should have died years ago," said Owen. "It's OK. I'm good. Really I am."

Martha took more tissues to rip to sheds. "I can't ask you to kill yourself."

Owen got a box and started filling it. "You can have all my books. Where I'm going I won't need them."

Martha stood up and hugged him. Then she started filling another box. "You have to go to Buenos Aries. Jack set his wrist strap to Shanghai in case I needed to go without him."

"I hate to ask, but what did you do with Jack's body?"

"I buried it in a shallow unmarked grave, in case, everything goes as planned and he returns to life. I don't want him being found and burned. Also I don't want him have to dig too much to free himself."

"Good thinking." Owen continued to hug Martha.

"What if you aren't mortal any more because Jack is dead?"

Owen stopped hugging Martha and returned to packing his books and other stuff. "I'm connected to a morphic field. Jack is a lot of things, but he isn't a morphic field generator. The TARDIS is. It wouldn't be able to translate for the Doctor and his companions if it wasn't."

"If you're not then we need to split the blood you have between the two locations and pray it's enough."

After clearing off his desk, Owen put his pinky in old-fashioned paper cutter. His mind told him not to do it but he disobeyed every instinct in his body and sliced it off. Then he ran to wrap his bleeding hand in paper towels. "Please, sew it up. I need to keep as much blood inside me as possible. We are only safe from The Families for as long as they believe Jack was the only mortal man on the planet. A single leak and it's over."

Martha got a needle and thread from her medical bag and closed up Owen's wound. Owen winched a bit but he wasn't going to scream or cry no matter how much it hurt. "This place isn't bugged?"

"No bugs. Totally clean. We can't even get a cell signal down here." Owen looked at his finger still by the paper cutter. "It's not moving."

Martha tied off the stitches. "What did that prove?"

"I'm still mortal and that I have the wherewithal to commit hara-kiri when the time comes."

Martha squinted at him. "Hara-kiri?"

"I need to be able to do it with a butcher knife. I won't be able to sneak a gun onto an aeroplane, and I need to bleed out quickly. A slash on the wrist won't do."

"Rex would give you a gun."

"Rex gives me a gun and it's assisted suicide or, possibly, murder. I need to do this alone." Owen washed off his finger then put it in his pocket. "I'll burn it at home."

Martha washed his desk, so it was blood free.

Owen phoned Helen. "Helen, I'm going to tea with Martha. We're calling it a day. We have a lot of catching up to do. Reschedule my appointments for tomorrow."

"Will do," said Helen. "Have fun."

"We shall. Thank you." After Owen got off the phone, he asked Martha, "Did I sound like someone in pain?"

"No," said Martha.

"You're lying, but thanks." Owen put the blood-soaked towels in a bag then hid them in the box with the books. "You grab a couple boxes and I'll take one."

They had lunch together in a small coffee shop. Then Owen took his blood-soaked towels and bloody finger home.

xxxx

Owen put the finger and the towels in the fireplace then lit it with a match.

With Bryce over his shoulder, Ianto entered the room. "Your turn."

Owen took Bryce into his arms. "Daddy misses you."

Ianto grabbed Owen's bandaged left hand. "You need to stop maiming that poor hand of yours."

Owen had Martha deaden the nerve. Half his hand was now numb, but the pain was gone. He could handle having a numb hand for the rest of his life, which at this moment was a few more days, but he didn't want to spend the rest of his life in pain. "I'm killing myself in less than a week. My pinky isn't all the important in the skein of things."

Ianto placed Bryce on a baby blanket on the floor. Then he took both of Owen's hands in his. "Something happened between breakfast and now. You tell me what it is."

"Sit down," said Owen.

Ianto let go of Owen and sat on the sofa.

Owen took Bryce off the blanket, placed in on his lap and started bouncing him on his knee. "I'm very sorry. Martha came to see me at work."

"Jack's dead," said Ianto.

"Jack's dead and his blood is gone. Martha left to go to the store. She's beside herself with grief. She wasn't even gone an hour."

"You cut off your finger to check that you were still mortal?"

Owen nodded.

Ianto leaned against Owen. "When does the shock wear off and you start crying and ripping your hair out?"

"Everyone is different," said Owen.

"Jack is dead," repeated Ianto. "It doesn't seem real. He was supposed to be the immortal one. I was supposed to grow old and die and he was supposed to stay the same. He wasn't supposed to die and leave me and our newborn son. He had no right dying."

Owen got up and placed Bryce on his shoulder. "Ianto, hold that thought. I'll be right back." Owen went over to the nursery and gave the nanny the baby. "Taddy and Daddy need some adult time. Please, care for the children."

"Yes, Sir," said the robot. "And may I say, it's about time."

Owen smiled. The caretaker robots were modelled after JARVIS after all. With the robot watching the babies, Owen returned to the sofa and placed an arm around Ianto. "Be angry. Yell, scream. Let it out."

"Why did he die? He told me he was immortal. A fixed point in time. Fixed points in time don't die." Ianto leaned against Owen. "He left me alone. And in a few days, you're going to leave me."

"You're strong. You'll manage. You have the nanny to help. Name her. Mickey and Martha will also help. You have your sister and her family. You aren't alone." Owen ran his fingers through Ianto's hair. "You're a survivor. The sole survivor of Torchwood London. That's what you do. Survive."

"I know Jeremy needs me. I'm his only parent now," said Ianto. "Jack promised he would watch me grow old. Why did they have to kill him?"

"You don't have to talk if the words don't come," said Owen. "You can just hold me."

"Jack told me that he like being mortal because I was protecting him. I didn't protect him. I left him."

"You left him with Martha. Martha used to be part of UNIT. You thought you were leaving him in capable hands. Martha blames herself. She feels like she killed him by leaving alone in a weakened condition to buy food. Don't blame yourself, too."

"It's just that I didn't even get to say good-bye."

"You said good-bye on your last phone call. He wanted you and Jeremy to be safe. It's OK to be angry at him for dying. Your feelings aren't wrong they just are."

"Don't play psychiatrist with me," yelled Ianto. "I'm not your patient."

"I won't say another word," said Owen. "You can talk or we can just be quiet."

"Owen, you're talking."

Owen was about to say something, but stopped himself and just rested beside Ianto. When Ianto fell asleep, Owen went upstairs to check on the babies. On their scheduled feeding, Owen heated the formula. He feed Jorden while the nanny feed Bryce. Since Bryce didn't eat much, Owen was still feeding Jorden when the nanny was onto Jeremy. While watching the nanny change nappies, Owen held Jorden. He would sleep in the nursery tonight. This was where he wanted to spend this last days.

Morning came too quick and he needed to dress for work. Surprisingly enough or not surprising, Ianto had made breakfast: Sausage, eggs, toast and potatoes. Owen was getting used to seeing Ianto in jeans and a sweat shirt. Then again, Ianto looked just as comfortable when wearing a tailored suit.

"You're like one of those people on the Internet that tie their leg up and say they want it cut off because it doesn't belong to them," said Ianto. "You have a few days left to live and you don't go out and party; you numb your left hand."

After chewing then forcing down a mouthful of food, Owen said, "That's fucking cruel."

"You grew used to a useless left hand," said Ianto. "Don't deny it."

"You can grow used to a lot of things." Owen drank his coffee. "However, I like eating, breathing and fucking. Diane left me, so I'm going to ask Rex for a salsa when I get to Argentina and see where that goes."

"He's a homophobic twit," said Ianto. "He won't fuck you."

Owen sipped some more of Ianto's coffee and smiled. "We'll see." Rex asked about seeing Owen in his girdle, meaning he was a bit curious or more than a bit. Owen could play with that. His Marilyn Monroe wig and a colourful peasant dress and a dance or two.

Ianto smiled back then shook his head. A baby started crying, so Ianto left the table although the nanny would handle it. Owen finished his coffee and raced after Ianto.


	18. Chapter 17

Author's Note: Kleenex warning. I cried while writing it. I don't own Torchwood. BBC does.

xxxx

At first, Martha didn't recognise the lanky girl pushing the pram across the fast food restaurant where she agreed to met Owen at as Owen. The barrettes in his brown hair, the long pink jumper over his flat chest, the way he held the pram favouring his good hand, and the emptiness in his eyes made Owen look mentally disabled. The last time Owen's eyes looked that empty was before he broke his finger then took a long walk off a short pier.

Martha walked over to the pram and peeked inside. "So this is Jorden and Bryce." Jorden was a chubby blonde sucking on a teething ring with her first tooth just peeking out of her lower gum. Next to her was black-haired Bryce a little doll baby in comparison. He was wrapped in a blanket sound asleep.

Owen said, "We need to eat. I do. Need to get that iron level up."

Martha couldn't tell him that the only way she would be able to sneak in Owen's blood was in her body. Uneek had already agreed to help her with the total blood transfusion. They wouldn't even try such a risky procedure if it wasn't for Miracle Day. With Owen's blood inside her and Jack's vortex manipulator, she would be able to get to the Blessing with The Families being none the wiser until it was too late. All she needed was to coordinate the time with Owen.

This reminded her a bit of the time she went to Germany to end the world before the Daleks could. This time her task wasn't to end the world but to set things right. Right now people were growing older without dying; people were suffering with no end in sight. She had to stop the pain. She and Owen were doctors - they were supposed to save lives - but here they were ending their lives, so millions of people could also die.

"Yes, eat," said Martha, getting out of her daydream.

"I'm getting the smallest burger they sell, chips and a Coke," said Owen. "Is a veggie burger OK?"

"Whatever," said Martha.

"No veggie burger for me. I need the red meat." Owen left the pram beside the table. "You watch the babies then."

Owen had said he was eating red meat in small amounts to increase his iron without overtaxing his kidneys. Owen had trouble eating large amounts of food because his body lost all its natural fauna during the two years he was dead. Owen looked more empty and lost than sad.

Martha pulled the pram over to her seat then sat down and stared at the babies. In a few short days, they would be orphans for a second time. Mickey would help Ianto get the children into good homes. Owen deserved that much. Even Mickey didn't know what Martha and Uneek were planning. The less people that knew the better. No leaks that way.

Bryce moved a little in his sleep, clinging to his sister. Jorden had lost interest in the ring and was sucking on her fingers. Martha would have picked Jorden up if she wasn't afraid of waking Bryce.

After lunch, Owen suggested they walk around the park with the babies. Martha got to feed Jorden while Owen feed Bryce a bit more than two drops of his special formula. Bryce's stomach and lungs were still immature. Owen must have known that Bryce probably wouldn't survive if the Miracle ended. That must have killed Owen inside. Even if they went somewhere they knew was a hundred percent bug-proof and leak resistant, Martha still wouldn't voice her concerns out loud.

xxxx

The day before the plane trip to Argentina, Owen went to work like any other day and said good-bye to Helen like he was coming back to work after his 3-day weekend. At an airport boutique, Owen bought himself a flowery cotton dress like he promised himself. Dressing in the loo, he was so happy he treated himself to getting his legs waxed at a fancy salon in London. He twirled in front of the lady's room mirror in his blond wig, perfect make-up, sandals and cotton dress. No stockings in sunny Argentina. He was now ready to see Rex.

Owen ran over to Rex, who was standing in the car rental line, dropped his shopping bags and carry-on bag and hugged him.

Rex said, "Miss, as much as I like the attention, I think you have mistaken me for someone else."

Owen did his best Marilyn Monroe. "Big boy, you're the man I've been looking for all my life."

Rex pushed Owen off him, practically shoving Owen across the airport lobby. "Owen, please."

Owen picked up his bags and used his regular falsetto. "That is no way treat to a lady."

"You are no lady." Only Rex would wear a three piece suit in South America. He so needed to go native.

"I may not be a woman, sugar," said Owen. "But I'm all lady."

The blonde in a summer dress and sun hat (Esther?) said, "She has you."

Dropping his carry-on, Owen hugged Esther still holding the shopping bags. "You must be Esther. I recognise your voice from the phone. Tell Rex that he must take me dancing."

Turning on one heel, Rex put a hand on his waist. "Not everyone is gay." Then it was a good thing Rex didn't look at himself in the mirror. That move was so gay.

Owen gave Rex a wink. "A girl can try."

"Give her one dance," said Esther. "Make tonight special for her."

"You two are going to gang up on me," said Rex.

"You know it," said Esther. "It's a shame Uneek didn't come along. Rex would be so outnumbered."

Rex moved up in the rental line.

Owen caressed Rex's chest with his good hand. "I was inside you, repairing your chest wound. I so want you inside me."

Rex took Owen's hand and looked into his eyes. "You're lovely, but I don't go that way."

When they got to the rental car, Esther said, "Girls in the back. We have so much to talk about."

After they were comfy in the backseat, Owen slipped off his sandals.

"I love the painted toe nails," said Esther.

"I wanted to look pretty for Rex and he doesn't even appreciate it," said Owen.

Rex shouted, "One dance."

"Thank you," said Owen. "Esther, so how are the nieces?"

"They're with the same foster parents. I would have hated if they were broken up, and my sister is, finally, getting the help she needs. I wish I knew more, but with work, it's hard to keep up."

"I know how that is. I wouldn't be able to work at all if I didn't have Ianto's help. Bryce is way too small to be left with a traditional child care provider."

"How big is he?"

"I'm not good with American pounds and ounces, but a bit more than a kilo I guess. I don't weigh them every day. That's a bit too anal for me. Even Ianto isn't that anal."

"That would be somewhere between 2 and a half pounds and 3 pounds?" said Esther.

"I suppose." Owen shrugged his shoulders. "It's all Greek to me. Oh, we need to stop somewhere to get a nice kitchen knife with a good handle. That reminds me, Argentinian steaks are supposed to be the best on the planet. I can make you a steak dinner before we go out dancing."

Rex shook his head. "You can't borrow my gun because that is assisted suicide, but I can take you to a kitchen ware store."

"I'm cutting steaks with it," said Owen. "You didn't know I was going to use it to do myself in."

Rex turned a corner then went down a narrow road. "How can you be so happy when you are quote doing yourself in tomorrow morning?"

"Tonight is my last night on Earth," Owen explained. "I plan to spend it laughing and dancing. No beer tonight. I want to be aware of every moment."

Esther put an arm around Owen and gave him a hug. "You go, girl."


	19. Chapter 18

Author's Note: I don't own Torchwood. BBC does.

xxxx

Sharing a hotel room with a single bed with Esther, Owen showered and changed into the flannel nightgown he bought with him. Then he combed out his hair and put in a barrette to keep it out of the fringe out his eyes. Americans called them bangs like something Rex would never be among. Even with Owen dying tomorrow, he couldn't get Rex to bang him.

He looked at his clean face in the mirror. Tomorrow he was going to die. Wasn't he worth more than a kiss on the cheek?

Esther yelled, "Come to bed."

"I'm scared," said Owen.

Esther said, "Climb into bed. Neither of us is going to get much sleep. We can talk and cuddle."

Owen walked out of the bathroom.

Esther curled up on the bed with her knees under her. "Owen, I know you aren't suppose to ask a lady her age, but how old are you?"

Owen looked at his naked feet. "I'm 29."

"Oh," said Esther.

Owen continued to look at his feet. Then Owen got into bed beside Esther, but he looked at the wall and not her. "I'm not scared of dying. I've been dead before. I'm scared I'm going to die and the Miracle won't end and I would have died for nothing."

"You're a boy. Life doesn't begin till 30. Or is that 40? I've heard somewhere that 40 is the new 30." Esther moved her head. Was she turning away from him out of shame or embarrassment? "Sorry. I'm babbling."

"I do that sometimes." Owen took Esther's hand. "Especially when I'm scared or nervous. We can talk about your sister. Your nieces. The steaks I grilled tonight. That big fat potato I mashed with my fork but couldn't eat. That the Argentinian winters are warmer than Cardiff in the summer."

"You could have ate that potato. It isn't like you have to watch your girlish figure." Esther covered her hand with her mouth. "I shouldn't have said that."

"It's the elephant in the room," said Owen. "Ignoring it isn't going to make it disappear."

Esther smiled. "Do you want a beer?"

"I need to be alcohol free. I didn't come this far to have the Blessing reject my blood. No do-overs."

Esther put both her hands on Owen's good hand. "What happened to your other hand?"

"I cut off my pinky with a paper cutter. A doctor is only as good as his hands. The right pinky would have meant more but I need to hold the knife steady." Looking the knuckle where his pinky ended, Owen forced a smile. Martha had pulled the skin tight with a few stitches while Owen held his mouth closed and forced himself not to cry out in pain. "I needed to know if I could fight my instincts and main myself. That I wouldn't lose my nerve. It was a test run."

Esther sat up in the bed. "They say the only reason we don't bite off our own tongues is our body awareness."

"Who are these they?" Owen sat up, too.

"Owen, are you transgender?"

"No, I like my male parts."

Esther looked into his eyes. "Owen, you're killing yourself tomorrow to save the world. Be honest with me. I won't tell anyone."

"When I see a girl in the mirror, I can be someone that isn't me. She's pretty, sweet and most importantly, not me."

"What's wrong with you?"

"The nicest thing my mother ever did for me was pack my bags when I was 16. She made me do for myself. I went to university, medical school on my own. If I stayed with her, I would have been a slacker living on the dole like her."

"You sound pretty amazing to me," Esther continued to hold his hand in both of hers. "29 and Phi Corp has you head one of their camps. I've heard they invited you back and you turned them down."

"You don't get to that place without stepping on a lot of people on the way up. I was to use your vernacular an asshole."

"You don't like yourself very much."

Owen nodded.

"Have you tried to kill yourself before?"

He nodded, again.

"Owen, I'm sorry. I can't make this better. I wish you liked yourself enough that you didn't feel the need to dress up and pretend you're someone else."

"Can I lie down and stare at the ceiling a bit? We don't have to force the conversation to avoid the awkward silence." Owen let go off her hands and lied on his back to stare at the spackled ceiling.

"Unless you want to talk. Talking can be good. It makes the time go quicker." Esther lied on her back, too. "I've never shared a bed with a man in a dress before."

His nightgown was sort of a dress. He packed it because he didn't want Rex to lose his nerve due to seeing Owen naked. His last night on Earth and he wanted a man who might lift his skirt and give him a quickie. Owen realised how pathetic that was but, at this moment, he was beyond caring. "Have you shared a bed with many men before?"

Esther giggled. "I'm not a loose woman."

"I won't tell anyone. I'm dying tomorrow morning. I'll take your secrets to the grave. I promise."

"I've been with five men. Pathetic, huh. None of them were Rex."

"You want him, too."

"He doesn't even know I exist," said Esther. "He danced with you all night while I sat at the bar and smiled at him."

"You should have said something."

"It was your night. Please, don't say anything. I don't want Rex's pity."

"Cross my heart and hope to die." Owen laughed.

"Stick a finger in my eye," continued Esther.

They both laughed. Nervous laughter because Owen dying tomorrow wasn't funny.

xxxx

But Owen didn't die. The Blessing pushed on Owen and he got himself upright from where he was thrown. Patting himself down, he sat among the rubble. He looked at his stomach. His blouse and skirt were covered in blood but his open wound was gone - completely healed. His left hand was no longer numb. He remembered burning his pinky in the fireplace, but on his left hand was a brand new pinky.

Not knowing what else to do in the absurdity of the moment, Owen took his nail file from his purse and filed and shaped the new nail on the new finger to the size and shape of the other nails on his hand. Then he polished his new nail the same colour as his other nails. Finally, he put his nail supplies in his purse and stood.

Martha planned to have Danes blow up the Shanghai entrance to the Blessing and The Families needed both ends, so they could leave this entrance intact for now. Once he got above ground, Owen called Ianto on the mobile.

"So the third time wasn't the charm," teased Ianto.

"You sorry I'm not dead," said Owen.

"No, you're the head of Torchwood until Jack returns so don't let that go to your head," said Ianto. "Helen expects you back to work on Monday."

"I may not be back till Tuesday," said Owen. "I'll tell her I was delayed. Can you watch the children a bit longer?"

"I don't know how to say this, but Bryce died in my arms."

"Thank you for holding him while his soul left his body. No one should die alone."

"You're welcome."

"How are Jeremy and Jorden doing?" asked Owen.

"Jorden is still having teething pain and Jeremy is rolling over all by himself. In a few months, they both will be pulling themselves to stand and we shall have to childproof the house for their new eye level."

"Then you're staying at the house."

"For now."

"I have to call Esther," said Owen. "We'll talk later."

xxxx

Author's Note: For anyone who can't count to three. Getting in the cage with Janet: one. Taking a long walk off a short pier: two.


	20. Chapter 19

Author's Note: In my story, Owen went to see the Blessing alone, so Esther lives. I don't own Torchwood. I would treat the characters better than _BBC_ and _Starz_ if I did.

xxxx

"Esther, don't give my clothes to charity, yet," said Owen.

"It's so good to hear your voice," said Esther. "But I heard on the TV."

"Telly," said Owen.

"TV, television," said Esther. "People are dying at the camps. The Miracle has ended. I thought you killed yourself."

"I did. The Blessing healed me. I don't know if it was a one-time thing or if I'm now immortal. But I have a new pinky and I'll need to start wearing clip-on earrings because my piercings have closed."

"Can I have your earrings then?"

"Sure. I need to go back to the hotel and change my clothes. I'm covered in my own blood." Only he wasn't covered in blood. The Blessing must have swallowed all the blood that poured out of his gut. Still Owen felt a lot better once he was showered and dressed in clean clothes. "Millions of people are dead because of me. I'm a doctor. I took an oath to heal people."

Esther put a hand on his shoulder. "They were in pain - a kind of living death. You ended their pain. You did good."

"But all those people who did stupid things because they couldn't die. I killed them."

"They did those things knowing the Miracle could end. You aren't responsible for other people's foolishness. We had four months without cancer and diabetes and other progressive diseases. Who knows how long it will be before they return? It isn't all bad."

"Bryce died," said Owen without emotion. Bryce wouldn't have been born, yet, if his mother didn't abort him. His life was short and painful. Still Owen would miss his cherub-like face. Bryce's few months weren't without meaning.

Esther wrapped her arms around Owen to hug him. "I still see a woman when I look at you."

"I'm not female, but I'm not entirely male either" Not knowing what else to do, Owen hugged her back. "I have Lizzie and Janet in me."

"Who are they?"

"Lizzie was a girl that was raped and murdered. Her ghost touched me for lack of better way to describe it and Janet was a telepath that I communicated with mind to mind."

"I'm sorry they died."

"Lizzie died long before I was born. I only knew her ghost. Janet died when the Hub was destroyed. I miss her."

Esther patted Owen's back. "Thank you for being honest with me." She stopped hugging him. "We need to get you tickets for the flight home."

"Do want to come to Cardiff?"

"I need to check on my sister and my nieces, but I'll visit at a later date."

Owen hugged her, again. "I'll hold you to that."

Someone knocked on the door.

"Esther, are you OK?" asked Rex.

Esther whispered, "Hide." After hiding in the loo, Owen heard the door open and someone walk into the room. "You should have spent the night with Owen. You're a big jerk. It isn't like male anuses are all that different from female anuses."

"Do you need to be that graphic?" said Rex.

"I read websites for a living," Esther said. "The porn has porn. After you have seen_ Little Pony_ porn, everything else is uphill."

Rex said, "I don't need to know that either. Owen was a man and I'm not gay."

"I spent the night with Owen and Owen's a woman," said Esther. "Is what's between her legs that more important than what's between her ears?"

"He's dead now," said Rex. "What does it matter?"

Owen stepped out of the loo and waved. "Hi."

Rex shouted, "Oh my God."

Owen twirled around in his cotton dress.

Rex said in a softer voice, "I'm sorry for last night. Did I tell you you look beautiful in that dress and I love you as a blonde?" Rex getting all flustered and stumbling over his words showed he was attracted to Owen. That was what was so infuriating about the whole thing. "Not to say, you're not pretty without the wig with your soft brown hair falling into your eyes."

Owen blushed. "Thanks."

Rex smiled then asked, "Can you give me another chance?"

"Rex, having sex with you would have been lovely, but Esther held me through the tears last night. I understand that you don't find me attractive without my clothes on. I can't ask you to be someone you're not just like you can't ask me to be someone I'm not. I have the images in my head and that's enough."

"You're a lady," said Rex. "I should have never implied otherwise. I hate to state the obvious, but your hand is healed."

"I think the Blessing spit me out. I was dead then I felt the Blessing tossing me across the chamber. Whatever happened, I'm healed, even the holes in my earlobes are closed."

"She gave me the earrings she packed," said Esther.

"14 caret gold," said Owen. "Enjoy them."

xxxx

Author's Note: I can't say no one dies in my story since Bryce and Gwen's father and others died when the Miracle ended. Also Oswald Danes and whoever was by the Blessing when he blew it up also died. One more chapter. Jack needs to return and we need to hear from Martha.


End file.
